The Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) evaluates stroke patients’ disability levels with scores ranging from zero to six. Low scores indicate high functioning, while high scores indicate severe disability or death. The rubric is used for follow-up, prognostic predictions, and clinical trials.
The Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) is a rubric used to evaluate stroke patients. It provides information on the level of disability the patient experienced following a stroke and can be useful for follow-up and for making prognostic predictions. A score between one and six is assigned based on the patient’s condition. Low scores indicate a high level of functioning, while high scores indicate severe disability or death from a stroke.
A score of zero means the patient has no symptoms and appears to be completely normal after a stroke. Patients with those have some mild symptoms, but no significant disability. They may slur their speech slightly, for example, indicating that the stroke involved the speech centers of the brain, but they can still be understood clearly. They have no problem performing tasks of daily living and may not need specific therapy or supportive care.
Two are assigned to patients with mild disabilities caused by stroke. This score on the modified Rankin scale may mean that a patient needs to reduce previous activities, but does not need assistance. The three are more serious. The patient may need help with some activities, but can still walk independently. Rehabilitation can help the patient develop and maintain independence and function.
Higher scores on the modified Rankin scale indicate a more severe level of disability. A four is given if patients experience moderately severe disabilities such as difficulty walking and inability to perform self-care. These patients may need helpers or assistants to use the toilet and bathe, for example, and cannot walk unaided. A five is a severe disability indicating a need for skilled and ongoing nursing care. The patient may need treatment to prevent pressure sores and other bed-related complications, and has low cognitive function.
The six are assigned to clinically dead patients. Providing a numerical score for death may allow hospitals and other facilities to use the modified Rankin scale to more easily track patient outcomes and statistics. The rubric is also used in clinical trials to quantify patient data and provide an accurate picture of events during the trial. Statistical analysis performed in conjunction with clinical studies may be more accurate and useful when the study includes a clear numerical evaluation tool for the results, rather than just a verbal one; researchers can discuss the results and individual cases in more detail, but the modified Rankin scale provides a quick overview.
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