Profile of acute ischemic stroke patients at a tertiary referral hospital in Costa Rica

Introduction: Stroke is a public health concern worldwide, a leading cause of mortality and the main reason for disability. Although approximately 85% of all stroke deaths occur in developing countries, few publications have analyzed this entity in the region. Aim: To characterize ischemic stroke patients treated at a tertiary hospital in Costa Rica. Patients and methods: This study presents an analysis of socio-demographic and clinical factors of all ischemic stroke patients treated at the Stroke Unit of Hospital San Juan de Dios (Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social) from August, 2011 to December, 2015. Results: The clinical records of 745 patients were studied. The male:female ratio was 1.5:1, the mean age at the time of the event was 67.9 ± 13.7 years, and 93.4% (n = 696) of the patients had at least one risk factor. The mean number of risk factors was 2.61 ± 1.46, being high blood pressure the most prevalent (75.8%) and the most frequently found in women. Other high-frequency risk factors were: smoking, sedentary lifestyle, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Most events (61.4%) occurred during daytime, and partial anterior circulation infarcts were the most frequent (36.4%). The mean hospital stay was 8.98 ± 6.09 days, in-hospital mortality was 6.1% (n = 45), and almost 17,0% of patients presented complications during hospitalization. Conclusions: The socio-demographic profile, clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of ischemic stroke patients treated at the Stroke Unit are similar to those described in other latitudes.

Duke Scholars

Author Gabriel Torrealba-Acosta Neurology, Neurocritical Care