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Doctor’s follow-up after stroke in the south of Sweden : An observational study from the Swedish stroke register (Riksstroke)

Ullberg, Teresa LU ; Zia, Elisabet LU ; Petersson, Jesper LU and Norrving, Bo LU (2016) In European Stroke Journal 1(2). p.114-121
Abstract

Introduction: Information on follow-up practices after stroke in clinical routine are sparse. We studied the probability of doctor’s follow-up within 90, 120, 180, and 365 days after hospital discharge, and how patient characteristics were associated with the probability of follow-up, in a large unselected stroke cohort. Patients and methods: Data on patients living in southern Sweden, hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010, were obtained from the Swedish stroke register (Riksstroke) and merged with administrative data on doctor’s visits during the year following stroke. Results: Complete data were registered in 8164 patients. The cumulative probability of a doctor’s... (More)

Introduction: Information on follow-up practices after stroke in clinical routine are sparse. We studied the probability of doctor’s follow-up within 90, 120, 180, and 365 days after hospital discharge, and how patient characteristics were associated with the probability of follow-up, in a large unselected stroke cohort. Patients and methods: Data on patients living in southern Sweden, hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010, were obtained from the Swedish stroke register (Riksstroke) and merged with administrative data on doctor’s visits during the year following stroke. Results: Complete data were registered in 8164 patients. The cumulative probability of a doctor’s follow-up was 76.3% within 90 days, 83.6% within 120 days, 88.7% within 180 days, and 93.1% within 365 days. Using Cox regression calculating hazard ratios (HR), factors associated with 90-day follow-up were: female sex HR = 1.066 (95%CI: 1.014–1.121), age: ages 65–74 HR = 0.928 (95%CI: 0.863–0.999), ages 75–84 HR = 0.943 (95%CI: 0.880–1.011), ages 85 + HR = 0.836 (95%CI: 0.774–0.904), pre-stroke dependency in activities of daily living (ADL): HR = 0.902 (95%CI = 0.819–0.994), prior stroke HR = 0.902 (95%CI: 0.764–0.872), and severe stroke HR = 0.506 (95%CI: 0.407–0.629). In patients discharged to assisted living, the following factors were associated with lower follow-up probability: living alone pre-stroke HR = 0.836 (95%CI: 0.736–0.949), and pre-stroke dependency HR = 0.887 (95%CI: 0.775–0.991). Discussion: This study was based on hospital administrative data of post-stroke doctor’s visits, but may be confounded by attendance for other conditions than stroke. Conclusions: One in four stroke patients was not followed up within three months after hospital discharge. Vulnerable patients with high age, pre-stroke ADL dependency, and prior stroke were less likely to receive doctor’s follow-up.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cohort, follow-up, Stroke, stroke organization, transition of care
in
European Stroke Journal
volume
1
issue
2
pages
8 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85020498387
ISSN
2396-9873
DOI
10.1177/2396987316650597
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e1998d0a-7c2e-49ee-a6bb-bbbd19c20f55
date added to LUP
2017-08-18 08:35:33
date last changed
2022-04-25 01:49:35
@article{e1998d0a-7c2e-49ee-a6bb-bbbd19c20f55,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Information on follow-up practices after stroke in clinical routine are sparse. We studied the probability of doctor’s follow-up within 90, 120, 180, and 365 days after hospital discharge, and how patient characteristics were associated with the probability of follow-up, in a large unselected stroke cohort. Patients and methods: Data on patients living in southern Sweden, hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010, were obtained from the Swedish stroke register (Riksstroke) and merged with administrative data on doctor’s visits during the year following stroke. Results: Complete data were registered in 8164 patients. The cumulative probability of a doctor’s follow-up was 76.3% within 90 days, 83.6% within 120 days, 88.7% within 180 days, and 93.1% within 365 days. Using Cox regression calculating hazard ratios (HR), factors associated with 90-day follow-up were: female sex HR = 1.066 (95%CI: 1.014–1.121), age: ages 65–74 HR = 0.928 (95%CI: 0.863–0.999), ages 75–84 HR = 0.943 (95%CI: 0.880–1.011), ages 85 + HR = 0.836 (95%CI: 0.774–0.904), pre-stroke dependency in activities of daily living (ADL): HR = 0.902 (95%CI = 0.819–0.994), prior stroke HR = 0.902 (95%CI: 0.764–0.872), and severe stroke HR = 0.506 (95%CI: 0.407–0.629). In patients discharged to assisted living, the following factors were associated with lower follow-up probability: living alone pre-stroke HR = 0.836 (95%CI: 0.736–0.949), and pre-stroke dependency HR = 0.887 (95%CI: 0.775–0.991). Discussion: This study was based on hospital administrative data of post-stroke doctor’s visits, but may be confounded by attendance for other conditions than stroke. Conclusions: One in four stroke patients was not followed up within three months after hospital discharge. Vulnerable patients with high age, pre-stroke ADL dependency, and prior stroke were less likely to receive doctor’s follow-up.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ullberg, Teresa and Zia, Elisabet and Petersson, Jesper and Norrving, Bo}},
  issn         = {{2396-9873}},
  keywords     = {{cohort; follow-up; Stroke; stroke organization; transition of care}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{114--121}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{European Stroke Journal}},
  title        = {{Doctor’s follow-up after stroke in the south of Sweden : An observational study from the Swedish stroke register (Riksstroke)}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2396987316650597}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/2396987316650597}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}