There has been many studies functional outcome and length of stay following rehabilitation with controversial results, especially regarding factors influencing outcome.

Therefore the present study explores the status of rehabilitation of stroke patients in Korea, and factors influencing functional outcome and length of hospitalization.

The study was done retrospectively through a medical record search of 215 stroke patients admitted to Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 1985, excluding 11 cases who expired in hospital.

The major results are as follows:

Ambulatory status at the time of discharge was independent in 19.1% of 97 cases those who received rehabilitative treatment and 0% of 118 cases those who did not. Of these treated, 13.0% were wheelchair ambulatory compare with 34.4% in the nontreated group. Therefore, at discharge, the treated group had a superior ambulatory status(p<10^-6).

Factors influencing ambulation level at discharge were age, severity of weakness of the involved extremities on admission and the interval between stroke onset and rehabilitative treatment in the treated group(p<0.01).

Factors unrelated to ambulation level at discharge were mental status on admission, number of recurrent stroke, duration of rehabilitative treatment and presence of preceding disease such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, atherosclerotic heart disease(ASHD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

Factors influencing length of hospitalization were interval between onset of stroke and rehabilitative treatment, complications and mental status on admission(p<0.1).

Factors unrelated to length of hospitalization were age, number of recurrent stroke, communication problem, severity of weakness of the involved extremities on admission, depression and preceding disease.