Abstract WP198: Sex Differences of Functional Recovery Pattern After the First-ever Stroke in Korea: The KOSCO Study

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate differences of functional recovery pattern and the factors associated with recovery pattern between male and female stroke patients. Methods: This study was an interim analysis of the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation (KOSCO) designed as 10 years long-term follow-up study of stroke patients. We analyzed serial data up to 24 months of multi-facet functional assessments such as Korean-Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Functional ambulation classification (FAC), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association-National Outcomes Measurement System (ASHA-NOMS), Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test (K-FAST) to identify sex-specific differences after adjustments for difference with age, type of stroke, premorbid functional level, degree of comorbidity, and multi-facet functional levels at 7 day after stroke. Results: Out of total 10,636 stroke patients (6,043 male and 4,593 female), female patients showed significantly older age, lower education level, lower body mass index, worse premorbid functional level, higher co-morbidity and more severe initial severity assessed by NIHSS compared with male stroke patients (p<0.05, Table 1). Even after multiple adjustments for differences, multi-facet functional outcomes were more severe in female stroke patients such as lower FMA, K-FAST, and FAC at 7 day; lower K-MBI, K-FAST, and FAC at 3, 12, and 24 months; lower ASHA-NOMS at 24 months (p<0.05, Table 2). Conclusion: The results of this study could provide more specific information for establishing the stroke rehabilitation strategy according to sex.