Frequent Emergency Department Visits After Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Who Is at Risk?

BACKGROUND: The long-term prognosis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) is poor. Frequent emergency department (ED) visits can signal increased risk of hospitalization and death. There are no studies describing the risk of frequent ED visits after SICH. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of a community representative consecutive SICH survivors (2009-2015) from southern Portugal. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with frequent ED visits (≥4 visits) within the first year after hospital discharge. RESULTS: A total of 360 SICH survivors were identified, 358 (98.6%) of whom were followed. The median age was 72; 64% were males. The majority of survivors (n = 194, 54.2%) had at least 1 ED visit. Reasons for ED visits included infections, falls with trauma, and isolated neurological symptoms. Forty-four (12.3%) SICH survivors became frequent ED visitors. Frequent ED visitors were older and had more hospitalizations (P < .001) and ED visits (P < .001) prior to the SICH, unhealthy alcohol use (P = .049), longer period of index SICH hospitalization (P = .032), pneumonia during hospitalization (P = .001), and severe neurological impairment at discharge (P = .001). Pneumonia during index hospitalization (odds ratio [OR]: 3.08; confidence interval [CI]: 1.39-6.76; P = .005) and history of ED visits prior to SICH (OR: 1.64; CI: 1.19-2.26, P = .003) increased the likelihood of becoming a frequent ED visitor. CONCLUSIONS: Predictors of frequent ED visits are identifiable at hospital discharge and during any ED visit. Improvement of transitional care and identification of at-risk patients may help reduce multiple ED visits.

Short-Term Outcome of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Algarve, Portugal: Retrospective Hospital-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: The short-term outcome from spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) is influenced by local quality of care and population specificities. There are no studies about the SICH mortality in southern Portugal. The objective of this study was to describe the predictors of 30-day in-hospital SICH mortality in Algarve, the southernmost region of Portugal. METHODS: Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of in-hospital death. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate survival over time based on SICH severity. RESULTS: Of the 549 cases, 349 (63.6%) were men; the mean age was 71.4 years. Two hundred seventeen patients (39.5%) did not receive stroke unit (SU) care. The 30-day mortality was 34.4%. Independent predictors of death were older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.096, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.031-2.062, P = .022) per additional year, vitamin K antagonists use (OR = 5.464, 95% CI = 2.088-25.714, P = .043), admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 8 or lower (OR = 20.511, 95% CI = 7.862-62.168, P < .0001) or GCS score of 9-12 (OR = 12.709, 95% CI = 3.078-44.113, P < .0001), hematoma volume (OR = 1.037, 95% CI = 1.004-1.071, P = .028) per additional milliliter, intraventricular dissection (OR = 1.916, 95% CI = 1.105-4.566, P = .046), and pneumonia (OR 12.918, 95% CI = 4.603-24.683, P < .0001). SU care was independently associated with reduction of death (OR .395, 95% CI = .126-.635, P = .004). Severity correlated with short time to death (P < .0001). Sixty-five of the patients (39.2%) died after the seventh day of SICH ("non-neurological deaths"). CONCLUSIONS: The in-hospital 30-day mortality is high in the region. Admitting more patients to the SU and implementation of preventive strategies of complications can reduce mortality.

Dropped head and man-in-barrel syndrome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

We report a case of progressive symmetric brachial weakness followed by cervical muscle weakness. The electromyogram confirmed the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. After 3 years the patient remained able to walk unassisted and without significant bulbar manifestations or upper neuron signs. The concomitant presence of dropped head syndrome and man-in-barrel syndrome in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient makes our case unique.