Abstract
[Background and aims] Readmission after hospitalization for ischemic stroke is a burden to patients and their families physically, mentally, and economically. Our aim was to find causes, characteristics, and issues of readmission. [Methods] From January 2005 to September 2009, among 1193 consecutive patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke, we studied 1136 patients (57 had died on first admission). [Results] Within 90 days after discharge, 125 patients (11.0%) were readmitted. Forty-seven patients (4.1%) were readmitted for vascular and bleeding event, 31 patients (2.7%) for recurrent ischemic stroke, and 5 patients (0.44%) for intracranial hemorrhage. Sixty patients (5.3%) had unscheduled readmissions due to infections, fractures, malignant tumors, and so on. Eighteen patients (1.6%) had scheduled readmissions. [Conclusions] The leading cause for readmission after hospitalization for ischemic stroke was recurrent stroke. We should focus on secondary prevention immediately after discharge throughout the region.
