title: [Evaluation of telephone assessment in stroke and TIA recurrence].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke recurrence is an important issue in stroke registries, but direct patient contact months after stroke is not always feasible. Telephone assessment is often used to evaluate long term stroke outcome, treatments and recurrences. Our aim is to evaluate telephone interview in a stroke registry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and eighty patients with a stroke or TIA were prospectively registered, evaluating baseline characteristics and type of event. At 6 months, 248 patients were reviewed by structured telephone interview and 132 were reviewed by direct contact. We analysed stroke outcome and disability, treatments and stroke or TIA recurrences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in baseline characteristics and type or severity of the index event. At 6 months, treatments were similar between both groups and 10.5% (40 patients) had a recurrent event. There were no differences in recurrent ischaemic strokes (6.1% in direct contact vs 4.4% telephone, P=.49), but we detected a higher number of TIA in direct examination compared to phone interview (9.1% vs 4.0%, P=.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Telephone assessment of stroke patients is reliable and facilitates stroke registries in detecting long-term treatments and stroke recurrences. However, it is probable that new transient events or TIA are under-estimated.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Ictus, Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España. pmoniche@gmail.com
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moniche
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: De La Torre Laviana
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palomino García
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cayuela Domínguez
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vigil
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jiménez
mesh_terms: D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009819:Office Visits; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012008:Recurrence; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D013689:Telephone; D016896:Treatment Outcome