Objectives: To explore case ascertainment, hospitalization, characteristics of both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients in a population-based group of stroke patients.
Materials and methods: One-year screening in Lund-Orup district for first-ever strokes using multiple prospective and retrospective methods.
Results: A total of 456 patients with first-ever stroke (n = 412 prospective screening methods, n = 17 primary care, n = 12 hospital registers, n = 10 death register, n = 2 autopsy registers, n = 3 other). Hospitalization proportion within 14 days was 84%. Patients sent home from emergency unit (n = 36) were often males (75%), had low 28-day case-fatality (0%), and less severe strokes (median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score 2 vs 4 for all). Patients managed solely within primary care (n = 18) were elderly (median age 89 vs 77 years for all), resided in nursing homes (86% vs 8% for all) and had high 28-day-case-fatality (61%).
Conclusions: Hospitalization was lower than expected. Two main categories of patients were not hospitalized: elderly patients at nursing homes with high case-fatality and patients with mild stroke.