Functional Outcome After Common Poststroke Complications Occurring in the First 90 Days

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE—The aim of this study was to explore the associations of common medical complications with functional outcome at 90 days post stroke. METHODS—Patients with unselected acute stroke were included and observed for 16 predefined complications during the first week. Fifty percent (244 patients) were allocated to follow-up of 13 complications until 90 days and then assessed with the modified Rankin Scale 90. Common complications were defined as complications with frequencies of ≥5%. Ordinal logistic regression (worsened outcome), as well as binary logistic regression for severe dependency and death (modified Rankin Scale score>3) was performed. RESULTS—Seven of the 13 complications occurred at a frequency ≥5%. Recurrent stroke and chest infection were found to have an odds ratio for worsened outcome of 7.45 (95% confidence interval, 2.83–20.96; P