Vascular risk prediction in ischemic stroke patients undergoing in-patient rehabilitation – insights from the investigation of patients with ischemic stroke in neurologic rehabilitation (INSIGHT) registry

BackgroundIn-patient rehabilitation following ischemic stroke offers a unique opportunity for risk factor and lifestyle modification. Quantification of risk in this setting may help to tailor therapy, increase physician awareness and patient compliance and thus to reduce recurrent vascular events.AimsTo validate the predictive value of established secondary stroke risk scores.MethodsOne thousand one hundred sixty-three patients undergoing in-patient rehabilitation following recent ischemic stroke in 15 German neurologic rehabilitation centers were included 0·9 ± 0·5 months after the index event. Outcome information was available for 846 participants (72·7%) after a mean follow-up of 13 ± 2·3 months.ResultsPatients' mean age was 66·3 ± 12·3 years and 42·5% were women. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (mean 4·0 ± 3·9), modified Rankin scale (median 2, range 0–5), and Barthel Index (median 90, range 0–100) indicated good functional status. A recurrent fatal or nonfatal stroke during follow-up o...