PURPOSE: Prediction of outcome and response to rehabilitation in patients with 
stroke can be difficult, especially in the elderly. The purpose of this study 
was to determine the ability of the Orpington Prognostic Scale (OPS) to predict 
outcome and response to subacute rehabilitation in older patients with stroke.
METHODS: Twenty-two subjects in the subacute care setting diagnosed with acute 
stroke were prospectively studied. The OPS was scored within 2 weeks of stroke, 
and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor subscale was scored at 
admission and discharge.
RESULTS: Strong Spearman correlations with OPS scores were found for improvement 
in FIM score [rs = -.74, 95% CI: (-.88, -.45), p = .0007] and discharge FIM 
score [rs = -.81, 95% CI: (-.92, -.58), p = .0002].
CONCLUSIONS: The OPS scores were strong predictors of response to subacute 
rehabilitation and discharge FIM motor subscale scores. The OPS may warrant a 
broader application as a prognostic indicator for patients with stroke.