In-hospital direct cost of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in Greece.

OBJECTIVES: The geographic inequity and the wide variation in the patterns of care of stroke found across Europe together with the lack of health economics evaluation in Greece led to this prospective study, aiming to provide data on in-hospital direct cost of patients with an acute stroke in Greece, and to identify independent prognostic factors. METHODS: Demographic and clinical data were recorded on 429 consecutive patients with an acute ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Greece during a period of 18 months. The costs incurred were estimated using the official financial charts listing in euro (euro), the real expenditure of all hospital departments. RESULTS: The direct in-hospital cost for all stroke cases was 1,551,445euro for a total of 4674 days (331.9euro per day in-hospital). The mean in-hospital cost per stroke patient was 3624.9euro (+/-2695.4). Hemorrhagic strokes were significantly more expensive than the ischemic strokes [mean 5305.4 (+/-4204.8)euro and 3214.5 (+/-1976.2)euro, respectively) and lacunar strokes the least expensive among ischemic stroke subtypes. The length of stay was highly correlated with in-hospital total cost. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that admission ward, stroke severity on admission, stroke type and status discharge were independent predictors of cost. CONCLUSIONS: Purchasers in our health services should differentiate in their cost estimates and pricing schemes between types of cerebrovascular events. Future studies should focus on modifiable factors related, not only with stroke characteristics, but also with operational policies of hospitals, that may influence length of stay.

Common carotid artery intima media thickness and post-stroke cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acute stroke and other forms of cerebrovascular disease are well-recognized causes of cognitive impairment. Common carotid artery intima media thickness (CCA-IMT) has been associated with certain forms of cerebrovascular disease, but its association with cognitive impairment of vascular origin has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether CCA-IMT is associated with cognitive impairment 1 year after an acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: A total of 171 consecutive patients with the first ever stroke (mean age 66+/-11.5, 41% female) underwent carotid ultrasonography during hospitalization. Demographic data, vascular risk factors and presenting stroke features were also recorded. One year later, patients' cognitive performance and depression were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). RESULTS: Cognitive impairment (MMSE score<24) was found in 67 (39%) of the 171 patients. CCA-IMT was significantly associated with cognitive impairment, and this association remained unchanged (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.19-3.18) after adjustment for demographic data, vascular risk factors, stroke features, other carotid ultrasonography measurements and depression. Older age, low education level, large hemispheric lesions, hyperdense carotid plaques and depression were also independently associated with post-stroke cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, CCA-IMT was independently associated with cognitive impairment 1 year after an acute ischemic stroke, and thus, it might help with the screening of stroke patients at risk of cognitive impairment.

Is the common carotid artery intima-media thickness associated with functional outcome after acute ischaemic stroke?

BACKGROUND: Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) is an independent and early marker of generalised atherosclerosis. Brain affected by atherosclerosis may be more vulnerable to an ischaemic insult. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between CCA-IMT and functional outcome after an acute ischaemic stroke. DESIGN: Prospective cohort analysis. METHODS: 284 consecutive patients (mean (SD) age, 68.7 (12.7) years, 126 (44%) female) with an acute ischaemic stroke had carotid ultrasonography, carried out by a single operator. Demographic data, vascular risk factors, initial stroke severity, and brain imaging findings were recorded. Outcome was assessed at seven days from stroke onset, at discharge from hospital, and at one year post-stroke. RESULTS: CCA-IMT was not significantly associated with adverse short or long term functional outcome in univariate analysis, or after adjustment in a multivariate logistic regression analysis for demographic data, initial stroke severity, conventional vascular risk factors, and the characteristics of the ischaemic lesion. Age and initial stroke severity were the only independent predictors of outcome. CONCLUSIONS: CCA-IMT was not associated with adverse functional outcome after an ischaemic stroke. Adding CCA-IMT in a prediction model for stroke outcome would probably not improve the power of the model.

Guillain-Barré syndrome in Greece: seasonality and other clinico-epidemiological features.

The epidemiologic and clinical features of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) during a 13-year period in a region of south-western Greece with an average population of 819 009 inhabitants are described. Clinical records of all patients between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 2001 who were admitted in the two referring hospitals of the above district and fulfilled the criteria for idiopathic GBS were reviewed. Overall 105 patients were identified. The age adjusted to European population incidence rate per 100 000 person-years was 1.02 (95% CI: 0.84-1.24) and a male preponderance was found. The highest number of cases (35; 33.3%) occurred in spring and the lowest (17; 16.2%) in autumn, although this tendency did not reach a significant level. Cases with and without preceding illness were similarly distributed in the seasons. Electrophysiologic abnormalities of axonal type were found in 6.1% of patients. The mortality rate was 2.8% and the long-term outcome 5%. The incidence of GBS was relatively low and the prognosis was close to the best reported. Spring clustering has also been observed in other countries with mild climate.

Family history of stroke in stroke types and subtypes.

Many studies have provided data showing that family history of stroke (FHS) is associated with an increased risk of stroke. The association of the FHS with the various stroke subtypes has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of the FHS with the two major stroke types (cerebral haematomas and ischaemic strokes) and the four stroke subtypes (cardioembolic, large artery disease, small artery disease, and undetermined) in a Greek population. The FHS was obtained from 421 consecutive acute stroke patients and from 239 matched control subjects. Positive FHS was observed in 49% of all stroke patients compared with 28% of the control subjects [adjusted OR=2.06 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.42-3.00)]. Haematomas, ischaemic strokes, and from the ischaemic strokes, both large and small artery disease strokes were strongly associated with positive FHS compared with the control subjects [adjusted OR=2.06 (95% CI 9-3.04), 2.07 (95% CI 1.09-3.91), 2.05 (95% CI 1.24-3.38), and 2.76 (95% CI 1.55-4.91), respectively]. There was no difference between maternal and paternal heritable contribution.In conclusion, FHS was found in this study to be an independent risk factor for all strokes combined, for each stroke type, and for the large and small-artery disease stroke subtypes, but not for the cardioembolic and undetermined stroke subtypes.