title: [Stroke in a neurology ward: etiologies, complications and length of stay].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Purposes of this study were: evaluate complications and length of stay of patients admitted with diagnosis of ischemic stroke (IS) in the acute or subacute phase, in a general Neurology ward in São paulo, Brazil; investigate the influence of age, risk factors for vascular disease, arterial territory and etiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 191 IS patients were collected prospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one patients (26.7%) presented at least one clinical complication during stay. pneumonia was the most frequent complication. Mean length of stay was 16.8+-13.8 days. Multivariate analysis revealed a correlation between younger age and lower complication rates (OR=0.92-0.97, p < 0.001). presence of complications was the only factor that independently influenced length of stay (OR=4.20; CI=1.928.84; p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results should be considered in the planning and organization of IS care in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Bomeny
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: de Paulo
authors.forename: Tales Mollica
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Paulo Victor Partezani
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Helito
authors.forename: Paulo Eurípides
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Marchiori
authors.forename: Fabio Iuji
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Letícia Lessa
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Mansur
authors.forename: Milberto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scaff
authors.forename: Adriana Bastos
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Conforto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology