Objective: The aim was to explain the relationship between recovery in motor functions and ambulation skills after stroke and albumin, uric acid, C-reactive protein (CRP), and hemoglobin levels.
Materials and
Methods: Patients who received inpatient rehabilitation in the physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) clinic within the past 2 years were included in the study. Patients’ discharge report, albumin, CRP, uric acid, and hemoglobin levels were obtained from the blood tests taken during hospitalization through the hospital system. The relationship between Brunnstrom staging (BS) and functional ambulation category (FAC) assessments before treatment and on the 15th day of rehabilitation, and the initial albumin, CRP, uric acid, and hemoglobin levels was investigated.

Results: The files of 135 patients were accessed. Six patients were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria, and 4 patients were excluded because their data were incomplete. The study was completed with 125 patients. Albumin levels were low in 22 (17.6%) patients, and hemoglobin levels were low in 75 (60%) patients. CRP levels were above normal in 53 (42.4%) patients. When uric acid levels were examined, 1 (0.8%) patient was below normal, and 15 (12%) patients were above normal. There was no significant relationship between BS and albumin, CRP, uric acid, and hemoglobin levels (p>0.05). There was a significant positive relationship between improvements in FAC and albumin and hemoglobin levels (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Post-stroke FAC recovery is associated with albumin and hemoglobin levels.