Method
We performed a prospective study during hospitalization on 1,250 consecutive acute stroke patients discharged from Dong-Eui Hospital from June 2001 to May 2002. Glasgow outcome scale, status of upper extremity involved and status of ambulation were used to evaluate functional status.

Results
The variables of clinical characteristics identified as significant in functional status at discharge were the presence of occupation, interval between onset and visit to hospital arrival, type of first treatment after stroke, type of caregiver, type of stroke and location of infarction and intracranial hemorrhage. Positive functional outcomes were significantly related to a younger age, male, small amount of hemorrhage and short length of hospital stay. Among risk factors of stroke, abnormal ECG findings at admission and presence of previous stroke were negative prognostic factors. The complications influencing stroke outcome negatively were pneumonia, depression, urinary tract infection, myocardial infarction and recurrence of stroke in hospitalization.

Conclusion
The results of this study should be considered during acute management and rehabilitation of stroke patients and are valuable as basic data of functional outcome after stroke. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2003; 27: 300-308)