Early urinary incontinence is an important complication of stroke because it causes personal distress and lowering of functional outcome.

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the correlation of early urinary incontinence and rehabilitation outcome of stroke patients.

The subjects of this study were 91 stroke patients who were admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, and managed with comprehensive rehabilitative treatment between January 1, 1987 and January 31, 1990. Medical records were reviewed and data such as age, sex, hospital days, effect of operation, Barthel score, ambulation status at admission and discharge and duration of Foley insertion were suveyed. The study group consisted of 59 stroke patients who had urinary incontinence of early onset, and a control group of 32 stroke patients without urinary incontinence. The incidence of early urinary incontinence and correlation between early urinary incontinence and activities of daily living, ambulation status and hospital days after rehabilitation was determined statistically.

1. An incidence of early urinary incontinence was 64.8%.

2. There were no differences in age, sex, properties of brain lesion, effect of operation and duration of foley insertion between the two groups.

3. In the urinary incontinence group, post rehabilitation Barthel score of activities of daily living and ambulation status were poor and hospital days were prolonged.

4. Comparison of pre and post rehabilitation status in activities of daily living and ambulation showed little improvement in the urinary incontinence group.

5. The overall severity was greater, the activities of daily living and ambulation status was lower and the length of hospital days was longer in stoke patients with early urinary incontinence. This knowledge could be helpful in planning stroke rehabilitation programs.