Rev Med Chil. 2025 Jun;153(6):392-400. doi: 10.4067/s0034-98872025000600392. Epub 2025 Jun 23.
ABSTRACT
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Chile. The Explicit Health Guarantees Regime (GES) ensures that post-discharge evaluation of patients with ischemic stroke (IS) is performed within 10 days. The time to complete the etiological study of a stroke is crucial due to the high risk of recurrence in patients without a specific identified cause.
AIM: To estimate the times for control and etiological study in stroke patients at a high-complexity regional hospital. To identify factors associated with compliance with the GES follow-up guarantee.
METHODS: Consecutive patients with stroke from the vascular neurology clinic of Dr. Hernán Henríquez Aravena Hospital (HHHA) in Temuco between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023. Times for the first control and the performance of the etiological study exams were recorded.
RESULTS: 479 patients were included: 426 (88.9%) with IS and 53 (11.1%) with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The median time for the first control was 23 days for IS and 42 days for ICH. Only 20.7% of IS patients were controlled within 10 days post-discharge. The medians for transthoracic echocardiography, transesophageal echocardiography, and Holter monitor were 9, 21, and 35.5 days, respectively. In the logistic regression model, only the year of admission to the clinic reached statistical significance for control within 10 days.
CONCLUSIONS: A low percentage of IS patients comply with the GES follow-up guarantee. The time to perform the etiological study is significantly longer than that reported in private clinics in Chile.
PMID:40587826 | DOI:10.4067/s0034-98872025000600392
