Prediction of function after stroke: a critical review.

A review of 33 studies identifies the factors of prior stroke, older age, urinary and bowel incontinence, and visuo-spatial deficits as adverse prognostic indicators of function. No relationship is shown between sex, hemisphere of stroke, and functional outcome. Functional admission score is a strong predictor of discharge functional status, but its relationship with improvement in function is unclear. Findings regarding the prognostic value of severity of paralysis and onset-admission delay are ambiguous. Comparison among studies is hindered by differences in patient samples, timing of assessments, criteria by which outcome is measured and measuring instrument used. Future studies should measure function at set times post-stroke, use functional scales whose reliability and validity is well established, and be conducted in several treatment centres to ensure that the sample is representative of the population to which the predictor measure is to be applied.