Association between Height and Functional Outcomes of Patients 6 Months after a Stroke: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Abstract

Many physical factors influence post-stroke functional outcomes. However, few studies have examined the influence of height on these outcomes. Here, data from the Korean Stroke Cohort for Functioning and Rehabilitation were used and patients&apos; height was categorized into three groups: short (lower 25%), middle (middle 50%), and tall (upper 25%). Differences in the modified Rankin scale (mRS), functional ambulatory category (FAC), and Korean-translated version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) scores were analyzed for each group at 6 months post-stroke. A subgroup analysis was conducted based on the initial Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) score. We analyzed functional outcomes in 5296 patients at 6 months post-stroke, adjusting for age and body mass index. The short-height group exhibited higher mRS scores (1.88 +/- 0.043), lower FAC scores (3.74 +/- 0.045), and lower K-MBI scores (82.83 +/- 0.748) than the other height groups (p < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, except for the very severe FMA group, the short-height group also exhibited worse outcomes in terms of mRS, FAC, and K-MBI scores (p < 0.05). Taken together, the short-height group exhibited worse outcomes related to disability, gait function, and ADLs at 6 months post-stroke.