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Length of Hospital Stay After Stroke: A Korean Nationwide Study
Ji-Ho Kang1, Hee-Joon Bae2, Young-Ah Choi1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Stroke length of hospital stay (LOS) varies significantly by stroke severity, sex, and age. Severe strokes result in longer hospitalizations, while younger patients and men tend to have shorter stays.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Health services research
- Neurology
Background:
- Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and mortality.
- Understanding factors influencing hospital length of stay (LOS) is crucial for healthcare resource allocation and patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the length of hospital stay (LOS) after ischemic stroke.
- To analyze the impact of stroke severity, age, and sex on LOS in the Korean healthcare system.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service for 3,839 ischemic stroke patients hospitalized in 2011.
- Categorized patients based on the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores into mild, moderate, and severe groups.
- Compared LOS and the number of admitting hospitals across different severity levels, age groups, and sexes.
Main Results:
- Mean LOS was 115.6 days (median 19.4 days), with longer stays for severe strokes (313.2 days).
- Severe stroke patients were admitted to more hospitals (mean 4.5).
- Women and older patients (≥65 years) experienced longer hospital stays.
Conclusions:
- Stroke severity, patient sex, and age are significant determinants of hospital length of stay.
- Findings provide insights for optimizing stroke care pathways and resource planning within the Korean medical system.
Objective:
To investigate the length of hospital stay (LOS) after stroke using the database of the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.
Methods:
We matched the data of patients admitted for ischemic stroke onset within 7 days in the Departments of Neurology of 12 hospitals to the data from the database of the Korean Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service. We recruited 3,839 patients who were hospitalized between January 2011 and December 2011, had a previous modified Rankin Scale of 0, and no acute hospital readmission after discharge. The patients were divided according to the initial National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score (mild, ≤5; moderate, >5 and ≤13; severe, >13); we compared the number of hospitals that admitted patients and LOS after stroke according to severity, age, and sex.
Results:
The mean LOS was 115.6±219.0 days (median, 19.4 days) and the mean number of hospitals was 3.3±2.1 (median, 2.0). LOS was longer in patients with severe stroke (mild, 65.1±146.7 days; moderate, 223.1±286.0 days; and severe, 313.2±336.8 days). The number of admitting hospitals was greater for severe stroke (mild, 2.9±1.7; moderate, 4.3±2.6; and severe, 4.5±2.4). LOS was longer in women and shorter in patients less than 65 years of age.
Conclusion:
LOS after stroke differed according to the stroke severity, sex, and age. These results will be useful in determining the appropriate LOS after stroke in the Korean medical system.
