Stroke unit care: recurrence, mortality and institutionalisation rates-a four year follow-up study

he benefits of stroke unit care in terms of reducing mortality, morbidity and the need for institutional care in the short term are clear. Less evidence exists of its longer term benefits.

The aim of this study was to measure the rates of mortality, institutionalisation and stroke recurrence over a4-year period following stroke unit care.

Discharge and 4-year follow-up data were examined on all patients admitted to the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit between September 2000 and August 2002. There results were compared with previously published data.

After 4 years 8% of patients had sustained are current stroke, 40% were deceased and 40% were in institutional care.

Compared to international data care at our unit appears to be associated with a lower rate of recurrent stroke and mortality but a higher institutionalisation rate after 4 years. The reasons for this are unclear.