Predictive factors of rehabilitation outcomes of perioperative stroke after surgery of the coronary artery and aorta: A pilot study

BACKGROUND: Perioperative stroke is a devastating complication of coronary artery and aortic surgery, resulting in significantly increased mortality and morbidity rates. As such, predicting rehabilitation outcomes after perioperative stroke would be valuable in establishing rehabilitation plans. OBJECTIVE: To identify prognostic factors of rehabilitation outcomes in perioperative stroke after surgery of the aorta and coronary arteries. METHODS: This study included patients who experienced perioperative stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic surgery, and underwent 3-weeks of rehabilitation. Demographic data included age, sex, diagnosis, brain lesions, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). To identify prognostic factors and the effectiveness of rehabilitation, the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were investigated before and after a three-week rehabilitation period. Spearman rank correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvements were observed in NIHSS, MBI, and MMSE scores after rehabilitation. Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between sex, stroke type, and improvement in MRC sum score. CONCLUSION: The most crucial factors influencing the prognosis of perioperative stroke occurring after coronary artery or aortic surgery included sex and stroke type.