Acute ischemic stroke trends in Slovenia, 2015-2022 : declining admissions, rising reperfusion, uneven gains

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], carotid thromboendarterectomy [CEA], 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 (2169) 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%, CEA 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 CEA, 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, Slovenia, health, diseases
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: MF - Faculty of Medicine; FE - Faculty of Electrical Engineering; FŠ - Faculty of Sport; EF - School of Economics and Business
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 8 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 35, iss. 7, art. 108668
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-183078
• UDC: 616.12
• ISSN on article: 1052-3057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2026.108668
• COBISS.SI-ID: 279993091
• Publication date in RUL: 04.06.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases
• Shortened title: J. stroke cerebrovasc. dis.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1052-3057
• COBISS.SI-ID: 6815193

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Slovenija, zdravje, bolezni, kap, zdravljenje, trendi