Abstract

Aims: Stroke is the third leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. Due to the effects of different factors on stroke mortality, the present study aims to determine the in-hospital mortality rate of stroke and its related factors at Ali-Ibn-Abi Talib Hospital of Rafsanjan. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, the records of all dead patients with the diagnosis of stroke at Ali-Ibn-Abi Talib Hospital of Rafsanjan were studied for the period of 2012-2017. The inclusion criteria were the definite diagnosis of stroke not longer than 72 hours from the onset of symptoms and being older than 18 years at the time of stroke. The exclusion criteria included other fatal cerebral lesions, having incomplete information for the records, death at the time of admission, and having an indefinite cause of death. Results: From among 2,199 stroke patients (the mean age was 68.46±15.67, 46% male, 54% female) who were hospitalized, 9.04% (199 patients) died during the hospitalization period. The in-hospital mortality rate was 7.54% (n=142) and 17.98% (n=57) in ischemic stroke and cerebral hemorrhage, respectively. The major risk factor percentages in died patients were 68.3% hypertension, 35.7% diabetes mellitus, 18.6% cholesterolemia. The most common fatal complications in died patients included neurological complications (48.7%, n=97), infections (23.1%, n=46), cardiac complications (18.1%, n=36), and thromboembolism (5.5%). Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with other studies about risk factors and complications of a stroke. We should focus on the prevention of complications in stroke patients by controlling important risk factors. ©Copyright 2021 by the University of Health Sciences Turkey, Gülhane Faculty of Medicine / Gülhane Medical Journal published by Galenos Publishing House.