title: Descriptive analysis of neurological in-hospital consultations in a tertiary hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In-hospital consultations (IHC) are essential in clinical practice in tertiary hospitals. The aim of this study is to analyse the impact of neurological IHCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-year retrospective descriptive study of neurological IHCs conducted from May 2013 to April 2014 at our tertiary hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 472 patients were included (mean age, 62.1 years; male patients, 56.8%) and 24.4% had previously been evaluated by a neurologist. Patients were hospitalised a median of 18 days and 19.7% had been referred by another hospital. The departments requesting the most in-hospital consultations were intensive care (20.1%), internal medicine (14.4%), and cardiology (9.1%). Reasons for requesting an IHC were stroke (26.9%), epilepsy (20.6%), and confusional states (7.6%). An on-call neurologist evaluated 41.9% of the patients. The purpose of the IHC was to provide a diagnosis in 56.3% and treatment in 28.2% of the cases; 69.5% of the patients required additional tests. Treatment was adjusted in 18.9% of patients and additional drugs were administered to 27.3%. While 62.1% of cases required no additional IHCs, 11% required further assessment, and 4.9% were transferred to the neurology department. Of the patient total, 16.9% died during hospitalisation (in 37.5%, the purpose of the consultation was to certify brain death); 45.6% were referred to the neurology department at discharge and 6.1% visited the emergency department due to neurological impairment within 6 months of discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IHCs facilitate diagnosis and management of patients with neurological diseases, which may help reduce the number of visits to the emergency department. On-call neurologists are essential in tertiary hospitals, and they are frequently asked to diagnose brain death.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: juansebastianaller@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Aller-Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santamarina
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Sabín
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D009462:Neurology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Brain death; Hospital Vall d́Hebron; Hospital Vall d’Hebron; In-hospital consultation; Intensive Care Unit; Interconsulta; Muerte encefálica; Neurólogo de guardia; On-call neurologist; Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos