II. Early activation in stroke: does it make a difference?

The effect of early systematic activation in daily nursing care was studied in an experimental group of patients with acute stroke. The staff had received an educational programme on stroke and its care. Sixty stroke patients were admitted to two general medical wards during a period of 9 months. Fifty-two stroke patients from two other such wards formed a control group. The functional capacity was measured by a specially constructed Activity Index (AI) at regular intervals in all patients. The functional capacity of the experimental group improved significantly with the special care in hospital up to 4 weeks after the stroke, while the change in the control group was non-significant according to the chosen level of significance. During the remainder of the 3-month study period with routine care in both groups, the two groups improved more equally. The activation programme may thus have had a stimulation effect while it was in progress.