Stroke trends in 2015-2022 : declining admissions, rising reperfusion, uneven gains : stroke trends in Slovenia : research data from the project

Furlan, Tjaša (author), Jug, Borut (author), Nograšek, Neža (author), Gavrić, Dalibor (author), Pretnar-Oblak, Janja (author), Došenović Bonča, Petra (author), Frol, Senta (author)

Introduction. We assessed nationwide trends in administratively identified ischaemic stroke admissions, procedures, secondary prevention, and outcomes in Slovenia using linked national datasets in the absence of a dedicated stroke registry. Methods. We conducted a nationwide longitudinal analysis of adult hospital admissions captured in linked administrative databases between 2015 and 2022. We report crude index-admission rates, acute procedures (intravenous thrombolysis [IVT], mechanical thrombectomy [MT], thromboendarterectomy [TEA], carotid artery angioplasty with stenting [CAS]), discharge secondary-prevention prescriptions, and time-to-death analyses with a maximum follow-up of 5 years. Results. We included 16,839 unique index patients (median age 74 years; 54% male). Admissions peaked in 2017 (2,169) and crude rates decreased from 105 to 99 per 100,000 residents by 2022. Revascularisation increased (IVT 6.2% to 15%, MT 5.4% to 9.5%, TEA 9.1% to 14%), length of stay decreased, and discharge prevention therapy improved. Five-year mortality was higher with age and comorbidity and lower among patients receiving IVT and several secondary-prevention therapies. Care pathways differed by stroke aetiology; women were older and men underwent more CAS and TEA, while IVT and MT were similar. Conclusion. Crude admissions declined modestly while reperfusion and prevention improved, but the magnitude and pattern of improvement differed by care domain and patient subgroup, supporting continued monitoring and the development of a national stroke registry.

• Language: English
• Keywords: ischaemic stroke, intravenous thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, carotid endarterectomy, thromboendarterectomy
• Typology: 2.20 - Complete scientific database of research data
• Geographic coverage: Slovenian hospitals
• Temporal coverage: 2015-2022
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Year: 2026
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-180146
• Data col. methods: Aggregation
• Publication date in RUL: 03.03.2026

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 03.03.2025

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: ishemična možganska kap, mehanska trombektomija, tromboliza, karotidna trombektomija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: V3-24038
• Name: Strokovna izhodišča in priporočila za oblikovanje državnega programa obvladovanja bolezni srca in ožilja v Sloveniji

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0117
• Name: Trajnostna konkurenčnost slovenskega gospodarstva v evropskem in globalnem okviru