Evaluating the impact of early and intensive rehabilitation in convalescent rehabilitation medical hospitals for stroke patients

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of early and intensive rehabilitation in stroke patients admitted to convalescent rehabilitation medical hospitals and to analyse differences in outcomes based on age and gender. Methodology: This retrospective observational study included stroke patients admitted from January 2023 to December 2023. Patients diagnosed within 90 days of stroke onset were included in the study. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Hand Function Test (HFT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC). Results: Significant improvements were observed across all assessment measures, including MMSE, MBI, HFT, BBS, and FAC scores, over the 8-week rehabilitation period (p<0.01). Younger patients (under 65 years) demonstrated significantly greater gains in cognitive function, independence, balance, and ambulation compared to older patients (p<0.05). However, no significant gender differences were found across any of the evaluated measures. Conclusion: Early and intensive rehabilitation within convalescent rehabilitation medical hospitals was found to significantly enhance cognitive, physical, and functional recovery in stroke patients, especially in younger ones. The highlight the importance of early intervention and suggest the need for personalized rehabilitation strategies, particularly for older patients, to maximize recovery outcomes.