Determinants of length of stay in stroke patients: a geriatric rehabilitation unit experience

The objective was to identify the predictors of length of stay - the impact of age, comorbidity, and stroke subtype-on the outcome of geriatric stroke patients. One hundred and seventy stroke patients (129 first-ever ischemic, 25 hemorrhagic, and 16 ischemic second strokes) were included in the study. The Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project classification for clinical subtypes of ischemic stroke patients and the Charlson comorbidity index were used to evaluate comorbidity. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores were noted on admission and at discharge. Comparison of the patients below and over 65 years revealed that elderly patients had higher comorbidity scores, were more likely to be prematurely discharged, and were less likely to be successfully rehabilitated despite similar FIM scores on admission. Excluding premature discharges, FIM scores on admission emerged as the only predictor of length of stay. Age, stroke type, lesion characteristics, and comorbidities are not significant associates of prolonged length of stay. Results and limitations inherent to our study and similar stroke studies are discussed within the context of rehabilitation differences among rehabilitation centers and countries.