Community-based longitudinal follow-up of Stroke patients discharged from a tertiary care center in Central India

CONTEXT: Stroke is a condition that may affect the functionality of a person to a significant degree; however, there is very little data available that speaks about the objective state of a patient from a revalidated scale after the post-stroke event. AIMS: To fill the knowledge gap and generate first-hand evidence about the post-stroke events in the community. To study post-stroke well-being of patients discharged from health facility and assess them longitudinally by Relevant Physical Examination, National Institute of Health stroke scale, and Modified Rankin Scale. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Forty patients who suffered from first episode of stroke were followed in their home longitudinally by Relevant Physical Examination, National Institute of Health (NIH) stroke scale and Modified Rankin Scale. Patients under study were first visited after 2 months of discharge from the hospital set up after which two more follow-up visits were conducted at 2 months interval each. RESULTS: There was an improvement in muscle power, sensation in the upper and lower limb, gait, and posture as well as language and vision in the patients in three subsequent visits. There was no significant difference in the fine movements of the patients. There was a gradual improvement in NIH score and there was a dominant presence of moderate-severe disability among the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative scales largely showed on a primary basis that on the physical dimension of the disease, the effects of Stroke were affecting the functioning of the body at optimum capacity and harmony.