Frequent Emergency Department Visits After Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Who Is at Risk?

Background: The long-term prognosis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) is poor. Frequent emergency department (ED) visits can signal increased risk of hospitalization and death. There are no studies describing the risk of frequent ED visits after SICH.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of a community representative consecutive SICH survivors (2009-2015) from southern Portugal. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with frequent ED visits (≥4 visits) within the first year after hospital discharge.

Results: A total of 360 SICH survivors were identified, 358 (98.6%) of whom were followed. The median age was 72; 64% were males. The majority of survivors (n = 194, 54.2%) had at least 1 ED visit. Reasons for ED visits included infections, falls with trauma, and isolated neurological symptoms. Forty-four (12.3%) SICH survivors became frequent ED visitors. Frequent ED visitors were older and had more hospitalizations ( < .001) and ED visits ( < .001) prior to the SICH, unhealthy alcohol use ( = .049), longer period of index SICH hospitalization ( = .032), pneumonia during hospitalization ( = .001), and severe neurological impairment at discharge ( = .001). Pneumonia during index hospitalization (odds ratio [OR]: 3.08; confidence interval [CI]: 1.39-6.76; = .005) and history of ED visits prior to SICH (OR: 1.64; CI: 1.19-2.26, = .003) increased the likelihood of becoming a frequent ED visitor.

Conclusions: Predictors of frequent ED visits are identifiable at hospital discharge and during any ED visit. Improvement of transitional care and identification of at-risk patients may help reduce multiple ED visits.