title: Acute medical complications in patients admitted to a stroke unit and safe transfer to rehabilitation.
abstract: Acute medical complications often prevent patients with stroke from being transferred from stroke units to rehabilitation units, prolonging the occupation of hospital beds and delaying the start of intensive rehabilitation. This study defined incidence, timing, duration and risk factors of these complications during the acute phase of stroke. A retrospective case note review was made of hospital admissions of patients with stroke not associated with other disabling conditions, admitted to a stroke unit over 12 months and requiring rehabilitation for gait impairment. In this cohort, a search was made of hypertension, oxygen de-saturation, fever, and cardiac and pulmonary symptoms requiring medical intervention. Included were 135 patients. Hypertension was the most common complication (16.3%), followed by heart disease (14.8%), oxygen de-saturation (7.4%), fever (6.7%) and pulmonary disease (5.2%). Heart disease was the earliest and shortest complication. Most complications occurred during the first week. Except for hypertension, all complications resolved within 2 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonaiuti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sioli
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fumagalli
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beghi
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agostoni
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010360:Patient Transfer; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D055815:Young Adult