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To determine the functional outcome following acute rehabilitation for anoxic en cephalopathy using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Background: Patients with anoxic encephalopathy are reported in the literature to have poor functional outcome. However, there are few existing studies that use stan dardized functional measures to assess functional gains in anoxic patients during in patient rehabilitation.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed charts of 34 consecutive patients with the primary diagnosis of cerebral anoxia admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit. The criteria for admission to the rehabilitation unit were wakefulness and ability to follow one step commands. Outcome measures included discharge residence and the FIM score.Results:Of 34 patients, 26 had sufficient data for inclusion. Discharge FIM scores were significantly improved over admission FIM (p = < 0.0001) for all categories. FIM efficiency score was 0.45 (mean [FIMdisFIMadm]/mean LOS). Seventy-six per cent (20 patients) were discharged home, four patients were transferred ,to nursing home care, one patient was transferred to an acute, hospital for unrelated medical ill ness, and one patient was sent to long-term rehabilitation.Conclusion:Patients with anoxic encephalopathy experience significant functional improvement during inpatient rehabilitation. These results are compared to other brain injury populations, and clinical implications are discussed.

BONEKAT, H. W., M. L. DOMBOVY, and B. A. STAATS. Progesterone-induced changes in exercise performance and ventilatory response. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc, Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 118–123, 1987. To further study the relationship between ventilatory response (VR) and exercise performance, and to investigate to what extent progesterone is responsible for ventilatory changes in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, we administered medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) to 10 normal males (20 mg three times a day for 5 doses) and compared results with those obtained in a similar study of females. With MPA, there was an increase in the resting VR to hypercapnia; the resting VR to hypoxia was not changed. There was a respiratory alkalosis at rest. During exercise, the PaCO2remained lower but the pHawas not different because of a tendency toward lower bicarbonate concentration with MPA. Ventilation, when related to CO2output, was increased at all exercise loads, indicating increased VR to endogenous CO2. However, ventilation was only minimally (3) increased when related to oxygen uptake or workload. This apparent disparity is because of slightly lower CO2output at a given oxygen uptake with MPA. As in females, maximal duration of exercise and maximal oxygen uptake were unchanged. Except for degree, MPA induced all the ventilatory changes seen in the menstrual cycle. Increased VR does not adversely affect exercise performance.