title: Impact of stroke unit in a public hospital on length of hospitalization and rate of early mortality of ischemic stroke patients.
abstract: We ascertained whether a public health stroke unit reduces the length of hospitalization, the rate of inpatient fatality, and the mortality rate 30 days after the stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared a cohort of stroke patients managed on a general neurology/medical ward with a similar cohort of stroke patients managed in a stroke unit. The in-patient fatality rates and 30-day mortality rates were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  729 patients were managed in the general ward and 344 were treated at a comprehensive stroke unit. The in-patient fatality rates were 14.7% for the general ward group and 6.9% for the stroke unit group (p<0.001). The overall mortality rate 30 days after stroke was 20.9% for general ward patients and 14.2% for stroke unit patients (p=0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed reduced in-patient fatalities and 30-day mortality rates in patients managed in the stroke unit. There was no impact on the length of hospitalization.
authors.forename: Maria Sheila G
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Ana Cláudia F
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Osório
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abath Neto
authors.forename: Marianna P R
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Porto
authors.forename: Sonia Maria D
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Brucki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000401:mortality*; D001938:Brazil; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality*; D013997:Time Factors