Stroke unit treatment. 10-year follow-up

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Previous research indicated stroke unit (SU) care improves outcomes within 5 years.
• The long-term impact of SU care beyond 5 years remained to be fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 10-year effects of combined acute and rehabilitation stroke unit (SU) care.
• To compare long-term outcomes of SU care versus general ward (GW) treatment for stroke patients.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 220 acute stroke patients allocated to SU or GW.
• Outcome measures at 10 years included proportion of patients at home, institutionalized, mortality, and functional status (Barthel Index).

Main Results:

• Significantly more SU patients were at home (19.1% vs 8.2%) and had higher Barthel Index scores (>/=60: 20.0% vs 8.2%) at 10 years.
• SU care was associated with improved survival (lower mortality) and functional independence compared to GW care.
• While not statistically significant (P=0.0606), a trend towards greater independence (Barthel Index score >/=95) was observed in the SU group.

Conclusions:

• Stroke unit care demonstrates significant long-term benefits, improving survival and functional status up to 10 years post-stroke.
• The findings highlight the crucial role of specialized stroke unit care in enhancing long-term recovery and quality of life for stroke survivors.
• Combined acute and rehabilitation stroke unit care has lasting positive effects on stroke patient outcomes.