Epidemiology of intracerebral haemorrhage in Livorno district

BACKGROUND: Intracranial haemorrhage represents the most feared stroke subtype. AIM: To evaluate the burden of intracranial haemorrhage in Tuscany hospitals with special reference to Livorno district. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of patients discharged in 2009 from Tuscan and Livorno hospitals with codes ICD-9-CM related to any type of spontaneous intracranial haemorrhage were selected and analyzed. RESULTS: 3,472 patients were discharged from Tuscan hospitals with these diagnoses. Overall mortality was 24.3%. 50% of patients were admitted in Internal Medicine wards. Incidence of intracranial haemorrhage and intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) in population of Livorno district was 64 and 45/100,000 inhabitants/year with related mortality of 36.5% and 39.4%respectively. Intra-hospital mortality of patients admitted in Livorno hospitals for intracranial haemorrhage were 36.7%. 40% of deaths occurred in the first 48 hours. 69.6% of intracranial haemorrhage were ICHs, 16.8% subaracnoideal. Intra-hospital mortality, admissions for intracranial haemorrhage in respect of total admissions and mortality for intracranial haemorrhage in respect to total mortality increased in the last decade. 23% of patients with intracranial haemorrhage and 16% of patients with ICH underwent to surgical procedures. ICHs related to antithrombotic treatment significantly increased in the last years. Mortality in patients on antithrombotic drugs was three times over compared to that in patients not undergone these drugs (43.7% vs 12.8%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: There is an increasing trend in frequency, mortality and hospital burden of intracranial haemorrhage and ICH. Efforts aimed at reducing the burden and consequences of this devasting disease are warranted