This prospective study examined consecutive stable ischemic stroke
patients who were admitted to the Rehabilitation ward of the teaching hospital. Study participants were diagnosed as having ischemic
stroke, based on a full clinical assessment with detailed neurological examinations and neuroimaging studies. Exclusion criteria were:
severely decreased consciousness; previous history of intracranial
hemorrhage or malignancy; evidence of overt congestive cardiac
failure; liver dysfunction with ascites; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease under steroid treatment; advanced renal disease (chronic
kidney disease Stage 3 or higher); unstable medical and neurological conditions such as pneumonia, asthma, severe infection or
uncontrolled diabetic mellitus (DM); and patients with central sleep
apnea (CSA). All participants had similar physical activity, as they received regular physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech
therapy. Drugs or dietary supplements such as vitamins, which might
interfere with the inflammatory or oxidative stress, were prohibited; this excluded regular medication prescribed by the physicians
for any underlying diseases.