The correlation of independency in activities of daily living performance with cognitive status and the intensity of neurological impairment in right-handed stroke patients

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether test performance in neurological and cognitive areas is able to predict daily task performance in stroke patients and if the two selected measures of stroke severity and cognitive function could be used as valid tools to predict functional outcomes after stroke. Method: We assessed 27 stroke patients (hemorrhagic and infarct) through Barthel Index (BI), Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in the first 6 months after stroke. Results: The correlation of intensity of neurological impairment (NIHSS score) and ADL performance (BI score) was significant (P < 0/05), but we found no relation between general cognitive function (the total score of LOTCA) and individual independence (total score of BI). Although ADL performance areas associated with some cognitive components. Conclusion: The dependency after stroke is more affected by physical symptoms of stroke than by cognitive disorders. Moreover, the intensity of neurological impairment could be a better explanation for a patient's inability to perform basic ADL independently. Low direct relations in total scores of NIHS scale and BI was found, but LOTCA is not appropriate for prediction of independency in basic ADL performance after stroke. Nevertheless, further studies and confirmation are needed. © 2011-IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved