Retrospective case note review of acute and inpatient stroke outcomes

Patients who have a stroke while in hospital remain in hospital longer and are more likely to die in hospital than patients who are admitted following a stroke, suggests research in this week's BMJ.

Aly and colleagues from University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, compared the outcomes of two groups of patients - those admitted to hospital with a stroke, and those having a stroke while in hospital for another reason. Although both groups were of a similar age and sex, 60 per cent of inpatients died in hospital compared with 28 per cent of admitted patients. Inpatients remained in hospital for an average of 31 days compared to 16 days for admitted patients, and known stroke risk factors were also less well documented for inpatients than for admitted patients.

The authors conclude that early identification and more thorough recording of stroke risk factors by hospital staff may improve patient survival.

Contact: Anil Sharma, Aintree Stroke Unit, Department of Medicine for the Elderly, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool L9 7AL. Email: aksharma@aintreestar.u-net.com