Functional Status and Patient-Reported Outcome 10 Years After Stroke

Background and Purpose—Long-term studies of outcome after stroke are scarce. Our aim was to study functional status and patient-reported outcome 10 years after a first-ever stroke.

Methods—Ten-year follow-up was conducted among the survivors from a population-based group of 416 patients included in the Lund Stroke Register, Sweden, between March 1, 2001, and February 28, 2002. The Barthel index was used to assess the functional status and the modified Rankin Scale to assess the degree of disability. The EQ-5D scale was used for survivors’ self-reports about health outcome and the specific Short-Form 36 (SF-36) question for rating their overall health. The patients also reported their frequency of physical activity.

Results—Among 145 survivors 10 years after stroke (median age, 78 years), 59% were men, 90% lived in their ordinary housing, 73% were assessed as independent, and 71% had no or slight disability. The need of assistance with mobility and self-care was reported by 14% and with usual activities by 22%. Moderate pain was reported by 39%, and 4% had a high degree of pain. Moderate anxiety/depression was reported by 28% and high degree only by 1%. Overall health status was reported in positive terms by more than two thirds of the survivors. Almost half the cohort reported the same frequency of physical activity (≥4× weekly) as before stroke onset.

Conclusions—This study indicates that 10-year stroke survivors in Sweden are mostly independent in daily activities and report good overall health and frequent physical activity, although half of them are ≥78 years.