BACKGROUND: To predict the functional outcome basing on hospitalization data as earlier as possible has important significance for evaluating the prognosis and discharged recovery. In recent years, researches on the balance function of stroke patients has drew more and more attentions, but less related reports about the relationship between balance and discharge functional outcome are available.OBJECTIVE: To predict the discharg functional outcomes of stoke patients basing on hospitalization data, as well as the relationship between it and scores for Fugl-Meyer balance(FMB) and Berg balance scale(BBS).DESIGN: Multiple factors and multi-variable study based on patient' s clinical presentation.SETTING: Rehabilitative department in a college hospital.PARTICIPANTS: Between August 2002 and May 2003, 40 patients with stoke for the first time were hospitalized in Rehabilitative and Neurological Department of Tongji Hospital, who accorded with the enrolling standards.METHODS: The available hospitalization data and discharge functional outcomes were subjected to single factor and multiple factor analysis, and collected data includes the history of disease, physical examination, scores for FMB and BBS when hospitalization, scores for daily life ability(ADL)and functional independence measure(FIM) . Functional outcome was presented by the discharge FIM.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Simple correlative analysis of BBS, FMB and FIM, regressive analysis of discharge FIM influencing factors.RESULTS: Simple liner correlative analysis indicted that scores for BBS and FMB was strongly correlated with the scores for FIM at hospitalization and discharge( P ＜ 0. 001 or P ＜ 0.05), regressive analysis revealed that scores for FIM, ADL and BBS at hospitalization could be used for predicting the discharge functional outcomes of stroke patients.CONCLUSION: Predictors for discharge functional outcomes includes scores for FIM, ADL and BBS when hospitalization, which are closely correlated with BBS.