Modified Rankin Scale

Rankin J. Cerebral vascular accidents in patients over the age of 60. II. Prognosis. Described the original grade of post-stroke disability that, in modified form, became the modified Rankin Scale (0 no symptoms to 6 dead).

van Swieten JC, Koudstaal PJ, Visser MC, Schouten HJ, van Gijn J. Interobserver agreement for the assessment of handicap in stroke patients. Established the modern mRS wording and showed acceptable inter-observer agreement (κ ≈ 0.56, higher with a structured interview).

The mRS at 90 days is the standard primary outcome in acute stroke trials; a "good functional outcome" is usually defined as mRS 0–2 (or a shift analysis across the whole scale).