Abstract:

Young stroke patients have a strong desire to return to the society, but few studies have been conducted on their rehabilitation training items, intensity, and prognosis. We analyzed clinical data of young and middle-aged/older stroke patients hospitalized in the Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Capital Medical University, China from February 2014 to May 2015. Results demonstrated that hemorrhagic stroke (59.6%) was the primary stroke type found in the young group, while ischemic stroke (60.0%) was the main type detected in the middle-aged/older group. Compared with older stroke patients, education level and incidence of hyperhomocysteinemia were higher in younger stroke patients, whereas, incidences of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease were lower. Te average length of hospital stay was longer in the young group than in the middle-aged/older group. Te main risk factors observed in the young stroke patients were hypertension, drinking, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hyperhomocysteinemia, diabetes, previous history of stroke, and heart disease. Te most accepted rehabilitation program consisted of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, acupuncture and moxibustion. Average rehabilitation training time was 2.5 hours/day. Barthel Index and modifed Rankin Scale scores were increased at discharge. Six months afer discharge, the degree of occupational and economic satisfaction declined, and there were no changes in family life satisfaction. Te degrees of other life satisfaction (such as friendship) improved. Te degree of disability and functional status improved signifcantly in young stroke patients afer professional rehabilitation, but the number of patients who returned to society within 6 months afer stroke was still small.

Key words: nerve regeneration, young stroke patients, risk factors, recovery of neurological function, prognosis, Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, Barthel Index, modifed Rank Scale, neural regeneration