Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2013 , Vol 16, Issue 4
EVALUATION OF RETROSPECTIVE CLINICAL AND IMAGING CHARACTERISTICS IN 65 YEARS AND OLDER PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH STROKE IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Taylan İNAL1, Erol ARMAĞAN1, Ataman KÖSE1, Özlem KÖKSAL1, Fatma ÖZDEMİR1, Şule AKKÖSE1, Arif Kadri BALCI1, Aylin Bircan DEMİR2
1Uludağ Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Acil Tıp Anabilim Dalı BURSA
2Uludağ Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Nöroloji Anabilim Dalı BURSA
Introduction: Elderly population in the World has been increasing gradually. In terms of emergency service, the elderly constitute a special group. We aimed to study the demographic, clinical, and imaging findings in patients who are 65 years and older presented to Emergency Department.

Materials and Method: By obtaining the data of the patients with stroke diagnosis, who are 65 and older and who applied to Emergency Department between 01.01.2011 and 29.02.2012, demographic, clinical, and imaging findings were investigated and then compared among 65-74, 75-84 ve >85 age groups in this study.

Results: According to the study results, among the age groups of 65-74, 75-84 and ≥85, significant difference was not found out between gender, complaints for application, duration of complaints, and comorbidities. Similarly, among physical examination findings such as consciousness, eye movements, visual fields, facial nerve examinations, lower and upper extremity motor functions, ataxia, negligence, aphasia, dysarthria, and NIHSS scores, statistically significant difference was not established. Besides, no significant difference was found among diagnoses, Cranial Computed Tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Following the statistical analyses, the parameters revealing significant differences among age groups were conscious status, sense examinations, infarct in Cranial Computed Tomography, and bleeding sides.

Conclusion: As a result of our study, we have seen that etiology of stroke may alter along with advancing age, however; in terms of clinical characteristics and patient results in hospitalization, discharge and mortality statistically significant differences were not observed. Keywords : Emergency Service, Hospital; Stroke; Aged; Patients