Stroke unit care decreased mortality and increased the number of patients who were living at home 10 years after stroke
QUESTION: For patients in hospital with acute stroke, does care in a stroke unit (SU) decrease long term mortality and increase independence and the proportion of patients who are living at home when compared with general ward (GW) care?
Design
Randomised (allocation concealed), blinded (outcome assessor), controlled trial with 10 years of follow up.
Setting
A university hospital in Norway.
Patients
220 patients (mean age 73 y, 51% men) in hospital with acute stroke. Exclusion criteria were deep coma on admission or living in a nursing home before onset of symptoms. Follow up was 100%.
Intervention
110 patients were allocated to care in a 6 bed SU. The programme was standardised with up to 42 days (mean 16 d) of team based care that included diagnostic evaluation, acute treatment, and mobilisation and rehabilitation from nurses, physicians, and other therapists, with an emphasis on family and …
