Exercise capacity early after stroke.

Abstract

To evaluate exercise capacity of patients with a poststroke interval of less than 1 month. Prospective, cohort, observational study. Exercise testing laboratory in a tertiary care hospital. Twenty-nine patients (mean age +/- standard deviation, 64.9+/-13.5 y) with a poststroke interval of 26.0+/-8.8 days. Not applicable. Peak exercise capacity (VO(2)peak) was measured by open-circuit spirometry during maximal effort treadmill walking with 15% body-weight support. Mean VO(2)peak was 14.4+/-5.1 mL. kg(-1). min(-1) or 60%+/-16% of age- and sex-related normative values for sedentary healthy adults. Exercise capacity approximately 1 month after stroke was compromised. Further research is needed to elucidate the physiologic basis of this low capacity.