Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2022 , Vol 68 , Num 1

Demographic and clinical characteristics of inpatient stroke patients in Turkey

Duygu Geler Külcü 1 ,Banu Kuran 2 ,Ali Yavuz Karahan 3 ,Neşe Özgirgin 4 ,Sibel Başaran 5 ,Ayşe Yalıman 6 ,Serpil Savaş 7 ,Canan Tıkız 8 ,İlknur Aktaş 9 ,Ayşenur Bardak 10 ,Tiraje Tuncer 11 ,Figen Yılmaz 2 ,Belgin Erhan 12 ,Hülya Şirzai 13 ,Berna Çelik 10 ,Gülgün Durlanık 2 ,Beril Doğu 2 ,Jülide Öncü 2 ,Berrin Hüner 14 ,Gülcan Öztürk 9 ,Nurten Eskiyurt 6 ,F. Merih Akpınar 6 ,Feyza Ünlü Özkan 9 ,Nurdan Paker 10 ,Derya Soy Buğdaycı 10 ,Berrin Gündüz 10 ,Özlem Şatır 10 ,Nilgün Şimşir Atalay 15 ,Necmettin Yıldız 15 ,Özlem Altındağ 16 ,Saliha Eroğlu Demir 17 ,Erkan Kaya 18 ,Demet Uçar 19 ,Aylin Sarı 20 ,Gülçin Kaymak Karataş 21 ,Özden Özyemişçi Taşkıran 22
1 Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
2 Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Şişli Hamidiye Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
3 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Konya Numune Hospital, Konya, Turkey
4 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
5 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Adana, Turkey
6 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
7 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Medicine, Isparta, Turkey
8 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, Manisa, Turkey
9 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
10 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Istanbul Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
11 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Akdeniz University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
12 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medeniyet University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
13 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Istinye University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
14 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gaziosmanpaşa Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
15 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey
16 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey
17 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bezmialem Foundation University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
18 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bursa Military Hospital, Bursa, Turkey
19 Beykent University, Istanbul, Turkey
20 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Erenköy Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
21 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
22 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Koç University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
DOI : 10.5606/tftrd.2022.8171 Objectives: This study aims to assess the stroke rehabilitation facilities provided by university hospitals (UHs) and training and research hospitals (TRHs) and to evaluate the geographical disparities in stroke rehabilitation.

Patients and methods: Between April 2013 and April 2014 a total of 1,529 stroke patients (817 males, 712 females; mean age: 61.7±14.0 years; range, 12 to 91 years) who were admitted to the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinics in 20 tertiary care centers were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic, regional and clinical characteristics, details of rehabilitation period, functional status, and complications were collected.

Results: The median duration of stroke was five (range, 1 to 360) months. The ratio of the patients treated in the TRH in the Marmara region was 77%, but only 25% of the patients were living in the Marmara region. Duration of hospitalization was longer in the TRHs with a median of 28 days compared to those of UHs (median: 22 days) (p<0.0001). More than half of the patients (55%) were rehabilitated in the Marmara region. Time after stroke was the highest in the Southeast region with a median of 12 (range, 1 to 230) months and the lowest in the Aegean region with a median of four (range, 1 to 84) months.

Conclusion: This study provides an insight into the situation of stroke rehabilitation settings and characteristics of stroke patients in Turkey. A standard method of patient evaluation and a registry system may provide data about the efficacy of stroke rehabilitation and may help to focus on the problems that hinder a better outcome. Keywords : Rehabilitation, stroke, Turkey