Characteristics of hospitalizations due to acute stroke in the Silesian Province, Poland, between 2009 and 2015

Introduction: The available data on acute stroke (AS) in Poland come mainly from non-representative cohorts or are outdated. Therefore, the current study was done to access the most recent data on AS in the industrial region that covers 12% (4.6mln) of the country's population.

Objective: To evaluate the epidemiological data of AS in the Silesian Province, Poland.

Patients and methods: Analysis of the data from stroke questionnaires, obligatory for all patients hospitalized due to AS and administered by the only public health insurer in Poland (the National Health Fund) between 2009 and 2015 (n=81,193).

Results: The annual number of hospitalizations due to AS in the analyzed period was between 239 and 259 per 100,000 inhabitants of the Silesian Province. Haemorrhagic stroke constituted 13.3%, ischaemic stroke - 85.5%, and unspecified stroke - 1.2%. The average age of patients was 71.6±12.2 years (M 68.2±11.9, F 74.8±11.9, P<0.05). The mean duration of hospitalization was 17±16 days for haemorrhagic stroke, and 14±11 days for ischaemic stroke. Large-artery atherosclerosis (36.1%) and cardioembolism (18.7%) constituted the main causes of ischaemic stroke. Overall hospital mortality for AS was 18% (haemorrhagic - 40.8%, ischaemic - 14.9%). A decreasing trend in mortality was observed in ischaemic but not in haemorrhagic stroke. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in women than in men (P<0.05).

Conclusions: This comprehensive long-term analysis of the epidemiological situation related to AS in the industrial region of Poland should encourage further development of educational and treatment programmes for improvement in the health status of the population.