Acute Ischemic Stroke Hospital Admissions, Treatment, and Outcomes in Poland in 2009–2013

INTRODUCTION: Ischemic stroke (IS) still constitutes a serious problem for public health worldwide. The data on its burden in Poland before 2009 is limited and came only from a few metropolitan areas. THE AIMS OF THE STUDY WERE: To assess temporal trends in the hospital admissions, treatment, and outcomes of IS in Poland in 2009–2013, to identify risk factors for IS mortality and to compare the results with other countries. METHODS: The data from the Polish Stroke Registry were analyzed. The data concerned all subjects hospitalized due to IS (classified according to the ICD10 classification as I63.0-I63.9) as primary diagnosis in Poland in 2009–2013. Temporal trends in treatment and outcome were analyzed. Hospital admissions rates as well as case fatality and 12-month mortality rates were calculated. RESULTS: Altogether, 360,556 patients (47.5% of males) were hospitalized due to IS in Poland in 2009–2013. The median of age was 75 years, IQR 18 (Women 78, IQR 14 vs. Men 70, IQR 17; p < 0.001). The hospital admissions age-standardized annual rate for IS in Poland in 2013 was 8% lower than in 2009 (169 vs. 157/100,000; p for trend < 0.001). In-hospital case fatality has slightly decreased (from 13.6% in 2009 to 12.9% in 2013; p for trend < 0.001). One-year posthospital mortality rate has not changed (19.3% in 2009 and 2013). The percentage of IS subjects treated with intravenous thrombolysis was low but increased from 1.7% in 2009 to 6.3% in 2013 (p for trend <0.001). CONCLUSION: Since 2009, Poland has had national epidemiological data on the hospital admissions, treatment, and outcomes in IS. The data indicate a slow improvement of in-hospital survival and suggest the need for better stroke prevention and further dissemination of reperfusion therapy.