10 years observation and rehabilitation of stroke disability. Longitudinal study.

In the I State Home for Incurables in Lodz (Poland) 195 hemiplegia cases were observed over ten years. 140 women and 55 men. This comprised 8.2% and 17.8% of all ill females and males respectively. Causes of the lesion were vascular 187, trauma 4, neoplasm 4. Hemiparesis was in females most frequent between 60 and 80 years, in males between 50 and 80 years. Communication was absent or difficult in 126 cases (in 22 the cause was aphasia, in 104 dementia). Incontinence was noted in 77 cases, inability to walk (on admission) in 129. During the ten years under survey 135 died, 15 were discharged home, 26 females and 18 males were rehabilitated. Very good improvement in motor activity was obtained in 14 females (3 without kinesitherapy) and 7 males, indicating adequate walking and independence in activities of daily living after prolonged bedfastness. (average 2.5 years in males and 2.7 years in females). Altogether 88 patients improved from the locomotor angle. In cases with dementia, incontinence and severe aphasia prognosis in rehabilitation was found to be poor.