Background: To evaluate the patients with stroke by Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scale, at the times of admission to hospital, discharge, and six-month poststroke, and to determine the level of improvement in patients after rehabilitative procedures.
Methods: A total number of 108 patients with stroke entered the study who were admitted to neurology ward. They all received rehabilitation consultation, and occupational and physical therapies were prescribed for them. Finally, their functional status was evaluated by FIM scale.
Results: The median (and range) of FIM scores were 86 (15-119), 102 (16-123) and 119 (17-126) at admission, discharge, and after six-month follow-up, respectively. Our observations showed a significant improvement in FIM scores
(P < 0.001). About 13, 30, and 76 percent of the patients in individual functional tasks of motor domain and 61, 75, and 86 percent in cognitive domain got the score of 6 or 7 (complete or partial independence) on admission, discharge, and after six months, respectively. There was a reverse correlation between age and FIM improvement and also duration of hospitalization (P = 0.002).