title: [The impact of neurological and medical complications on the mortality and functional situation of acute stroke patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stroke patients have a high risk of presenting complications, the appearance of which can condition the prognosis of the stroke. We studied the frequency and impact of the onset of several different complications on the early and mid-term prognosis of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an observation-based study of the patients admitted to a stroke unit. The complications that occurred while hospitalised were recorded, a distinction being drawn between neurological and medical complications. The study examined their influence, according to the subtype of stroke, on intra-hospital mortality and that at 90 days, as well as on the functional situation at 90 days, by analysing the clinical factors that are predictive for the appearance of complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample consisted of 847 patients. Altogether, 29.5% of the patients presented complications, which were more frequent in haemorrhagic stroke (50.5% versus 26.6%; p < 0.0001). The most usual complications were of a neurological nature (21%). For both subtypes, the presence of complications was associated with a higher rate of mortality both in hospital (2.1% versus 12.6%; p < 0.0001) and at 90 days (5.7% versus 29.6%; p < 0.0001), and a lower probability of independence at 90 days (72.9% versus 30.4%; p < 0.0001). The severity of the stroke on admission revealed itself as the most powerful predictor of the onset of any type of complication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The appearance of complications during the acute phase of the stroke has an adverse influence on mortality and on the functional prognosis. The identification of predictive factors could reduce the impact upon the progress of acute stroke patients.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bragado-Trigo
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Portilla-Cuenca
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falcon-Garcia
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fermin-Marrero
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Romero-Sevilla
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Redondo-Penas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gamez-Leyva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrano-Cabrera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Calle-Escobar
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Caballero
authors.affiliation: Complejo Hospitalario de Caceres, 10004 Caceres, Espana.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Casado-Naranjo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors