title: Trends in clinical features and early outcome in patients with acute cardioembolic stroke subtype over a 19-year period.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess changing trends in clinical characteristics and early outcome of patients with acute cardioembolic stroke (ACS) over a 19-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 575 patients with first-ever ACS included in the Sagrat Cor Hospital of Barcelona Stroke Registry were analyzed. Changing trends for 1986-1992, 1993-1998, and 1999-2004 periods were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant increase (P < 0.001) in the age of patients (74.6 years in 1986-1992 vs. 81.4 years in 1999-2004) and the percentage of patients older than 85 years of age (16% vs. 38.2%) was observed. Patients with hypertension increased from 40.5 to 60.8% (P = 0.001) as were patients with diabetes, chronic bronchitis, and obesity (P = NS). The median length of hospital stay decreased from 18 to 12 days (P = 0.031) and prolonged hospital stay (>12 days) from 18.3 to 13.1 (P = 0.033). In-hospital death rate remained around 20%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACS continues to be a severe ischemic stroke subtype with high risk of in-hospital death. The lack of improvement in the early prognosis over a 19-year period may be explained by an increase in the prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors and progressive aging of the population.
authors: Department of Neurology, Capio Hospital Universitari del Sagrat Cor, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. aarboix@hscor.com
authors: Adrià
authors: A
authors: Arboix
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Massons
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: García-Eroles
authors: Cecilia
authors: C
authors: Targa
authors: Olga
authors: O
authors: Parra
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Oliveres
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed