Hospital re-admissions in relation to acute stroke unit care versus conventional care in elderly patients the first year after stroke: the Göteborg 70+ Stroke study.
BACKGROUND
re-hospitalisation after discharge following index stroke varies over time and with age and comorbidity. There is little knowledge about whether stroke unit care reduces the need of re-admissions.


OBJECTIVE
to examine whether stroke unit care as compared with care in general medical wards was associated with fewer re-hospitalisations for conditions judged to be secondary to acute stroke and to identify the influence of stroke severity on re-admission rates.


METHODS
we conducted a one-year randomised study to compare the outcome of treatment at an acute stroke unit in a care continuum with the outcome of treatment at general medical wards.


METHODS
acute and geriatric hospitals in Göteborg, Sweden.


METHODS
216 elderly patients aged >or=70 years discharged to their own homes or to institutionalised living after index stroke.


METHODS
comparison of comorbidity classified according to Charlson's morbidity index, re-admission rates, length of hospital stay, number of re-admissions and diagnoses between a group treated at a stroke unit and a group treated at general wards.


RESULTS
the re-admission rates, length of hospital stay and causes of re-admissions did not differ between the two groups. Complications related to the damage to the brain and concomitant heart disease were the most common causes of re-admissions in both groups. Index stroke severity did not influence the re-admission rates.


CONCLUSIONS
re-admissions for conditions judged to be secondary to acute stroke were equal in the two groups in this prospective study.
Claesson
Lisbeth
L
The Sahlgrenska Academy of Göteborg University, Institute of Clinical Neuroscience, Göteborg University, Sweden. licl@neuro.gu.se
Gosman-Hedström
Gunilla
G
Fagerberg
Björn
B
Blomstrand
Christian
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology