[The treatment of stroke in internal medicine wards or in an intensive care unit?]

The mortality and complication rates have been studied in a series of 92 patients with stroke, who have been treated in a general medicine ward in central Italy. The data have been compared and discussed in relationship with analogous parameters reported about some series from north-European stroke units (SU) and general medicine wards (RMG). The mortality rates have been 11% over the first 7 days and 18% over the first 30 days. In a series of patients from northern Europe these parameters have been 12 and 19%. In severe prognosis patients the complication rate has been 83%, whereas in the series from northern Europe it has been estimated 97%. The infectious diseases have been complicating stroke in 21% of the patients. This rate is as high as in SU's, but lower than in RMG (49%). In the over 65 patients the mean hospital stay has been 19 days versus 24 in the SU. The percentage of the patients dismissed home has been higher than in the SU and in the RMG. Taking into consideration only the above-mentioned short term parameters and the acute phase management, the SU do not apparently have any advantage in comparison to the general medicine ward in central Italy which has been considered for this study.