Comparison of Stroke Features and Disability in Daily Life in Patients With Ischemic Stroke Aged 55 to 70 and 71 to 85 Years

Background and Purpose This study compared stroke features and poststroke disability in two age groups of patients with ischemic stroke: younger (55 to 70 years) and older (71 to 85 years). Stroke has an impact on daily living in many areas, but whether risk factors, stroke features, and poststroke disability differ between young and old patients with stroke is not so well established. Methods A cohort of 486 ischemic stroke patients aged 55 to 85 years admitted consecutively to the Helsinki University Central Hospital (Finland) between December 1, 1993, and March 31, 1995, were examined 3 months after the index stroke. Structured medical, neurological, and radiological (MRI or CT) examinations, mental status, and emotional examination and interview of a close informant were done. Prestroke and poststroke activities of daily living were assessed with five scales: the Index of ADL, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, Functional Activities Questionnaire, Blessed Functional Activities Scale, and B...