RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of early rehabilitation on activities of daily living (ADL) and complications in patients within 1 month after a first stroke. METHODS: 57 stroke patients were randomly divided into rehabilitation group (30 cases) and control group (27 cases). Patients in rehabilitation group received rehabilitation intervention (the main methods were therapeutic exercises, especially Bobath method) starting on average (15+/-4) days after stroke. Patients in both groups received the similar pharmological treatments. The demographic information was similar in both groups. Using the degree of deficit of neural function (DDNF,Chinese version), Barthel index and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scale to assess all patients in pre-therapy stage and post-therapy stage. RESULTS: The scores of DDNF, FMA and Barthel index except for the grooming item (P=0.04, it is higher in rehabilitation group than in control group) in the 2 groups were similar at the pre-therapy stage (P>0.05). At the post-therapy stage, there was no significant difference in the difference values in the grooming item between the pre- and post-stages in the 2 groups. There were significant differences in the difference values between the pre- and post-stages in the 2 groups in eating, bed-chair transfer and short distance walking activities items put together(P=0.05). The differences between the pre- and post-stages in both groups in Barthel index items except the control of feces and urine, and bath items were significant (P
