[Stroke in a neurology ward: etiologies, complications and length of stay].
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.
de Paulo
Rodrigo Bomeny
RB
Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP.
Guimarães
Tales Mollica
TM
Helito
Paulo Victor Partezani
PV
Marchiori
Paulo Eurípides
PE
Yamamoto
Fabio Iuji
FI
Mansur
Letícia Lessa
LL
Scaff
Milberto
M
Conforto
Adriana Bastos
AB
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