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OBJECTIVE	Most stroke rehabilitation studies have been performed in high-income countries .
OBJECTIVE	The aim of this study was to identify the main barriers for patient inclusion in a research protocol performed in Brazil .
METHODS	We evaluated reasons for exclusion of patients in a pilot , randomized , double-blinded clinical trial of stroke rehabilitation .
METHODS	Descriptive statistical analysis was performed .
RESULTS	Only 5.6 % of 571 screened patients were included .
RESULTS	Recurrent stroke was responsible for exclusion of 45.4 % of potentially eligible patients .
CONCLUSIONS	Recurrent stroke represented a big barrier to enroll patients in the protocol .
CONCLUSIONS	External validity of rehabilitation trials will benefit from definition of study criteria according to regional characteristics of patients , including rates of recurrent stroke .
BACKGROUND	http://www.clinicaltrials.gov .
BACKGROUND	Unique identifier : NCT01333579 .

