title: Study on factors affecting the occurrence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in elderly acute stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate factors affecting upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in elderly first-time acute stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and thirty-one elderly first-time acute stroke patients (age ≥65 years) transferred to our rehabilitative ward from July 2002 to June 2009 were included in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We divided patients into UGIB and non-UGIB groups. Demographic data and possible precipitating factors were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-eight (20.5%) patients experienced UGIB. The patients with UGIB were of older age (75.4 vs. 72.92 years, P = 0.003), had a longer rehabilitative ward stay (26.32 vs. 21 days, P = 0.002), more frequently had stroke-induced consciousness impairment (60.3 vs. 38%, P = 0.001), had a higher incidence of bilateral brain lesion (7.4 vs. 1.9%, P = 0.034), and more frequently used anticoagulants (17.6 vs. 9.1%, P = 0.044) than patients in the non-UGIB group. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, stroke-induced impaired consciousness (odds ratio: 2.806, 95% CI = 1.588-4.957, P = 0.000) was the most important risk factor for UGIB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UGIB may prolong a patient's length of stay in a rehabilitative ward. These identified factors may help clinicians identify risks of UGIB before it develops.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, No.6, W. Sec., Jiapu Rd., Puzih City, Chiayi County 613, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: C-M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Y-W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C-H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C-Z
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003243:Consciousness; D003244:Consciousness Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D041742:Upper Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants