Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of participants stratified by aerobic physical fitness training or relaxation sessions (control group). Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristic | Aerobic physical fitness training (n=105) | Relaxation sessions (n=95) | Total cohort (n=200) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 69 (12) | 70 (11) | 69 (12) |
| Women | 45 (43) | 36 (38) | 81 (41) |
| Median (interquartile range) time from stroke to intervention (days)* | 30 (17-39) | 27 (17-41) | 28 (17-40) |
| Anterior circulation stroke | 84 (80) | 72 (76) | 156 (78) |
| Hemiparesis on admission | 98 (93) | 89 (94) | 188 (94) |
| Median (interquartile range) NIHSS score† | 9 (5-12) | 7 (5-11) | 8 (5-12) |
| Ischaemic stroke | 91 (87) | 90 (95) | 181 (91) |
| Treatment with alteplase‡ | 34 (37) | 27 (30) | 61 (34) |
| Cause of ischaemic stroke‡: | |||
| Large artery atherosclerosis | 17 (19) | 19 (21) | 36 (20) |
| Cardioembolism | 18 (20) | 18 (20) | 36 (20) |
| Small vessel occlusion | 16 (18) | 15 (17) | 31 (17) |
| Other causes | 3 (3) | 4 (4) | 7 (4) |
| Undetermined causes | 34 (37) | 28 (31) | 62 (34) |
| Competing causes | 3 (3) | 6 (7) | 9 (5) |
| Previous stroke | 27 (27) | 27 (28) | 54 (27) |
NIHSS=National Institutes of Health stroke scale.
*
Four participants were excluded at screening.
†
Scores range from 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating greater stroke severity. Assessed on days 3-5 after stroke. Hospital chart was missing for one participant.
‡
Reported proportions of participants treated with alteplase and proportions of causes of stroke refer only to participants with ischaemic stroke.