Associations of indicators of the physical component of health with clinical-neuroimaging data of patients who have suffered ischemic stroke in the vertebrobasilar basin

Abstract

Summary. A stroke significantly worsens the quality of life of patients. An expert report from the Polish National Program for the Prevention and Treatment of Cerebral Stroke in 2001 recommends assessing quality of life during post-stroke rehabilitation. The authors report on parameters that may influence quality of life, in particular, age, gender, and functional status, including degree of disability, cognitive impairment, depression, and social status. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the indicators of the physical component of quality of life in patients with different types of ischemic stroke, depending on the follow-up, the size of the ischemic lesion, and the severity of the stroke. Materials and methods. The study included 105 people diagnosed with ischemic stroke in the vertebrobasilar basin. Study groups were formed depending on the follow-up, the type of ischemic stroke, the size of the ischemic lesion, and the severity of the stroke. The SF-36 general questionnaire was used to assess quality of life. Results. In patients with ischemic stroke, the physical component of health did not depend on catamnesis, but it was probably lower in cardioembolic type of stroke (according to indicators of physical functioning, role functioning and general state of health), in patients with a lesion size >100 cm3 (according to indicators of physical functioning and general state of health), as well as with a severe degree of severity of ischemic stroke at the time of admission (according to indicators of physical functioning, role functioning). In patients with ischemic stroke, a probable inverse weak strength of association was established between the size of the lesion and physical functioning (r=-0.25; p<0.05), role functioning (r=-0.19; p<0.05) and general health (r=-0.29; p<0.05), as well as between stroke severity on the NIHSS scale and physical functioning (r=-0.34; p<0.05). Conclusions. The quality of life of patients with ischemic stroke, in particular the physical component of health, is related to the severity of the stroke at admission and the size of the lesion.