Seasonal variations in hospital admissions and case-fatality of ischemic stroke: a nationwide analysis of >4.2 million cases in Germany - Summary - MDSpire

Seasonal variations in hospital admissions and case-fatality of ischemic stroke: a nationwide analysis of >4.2 million cases in Germany

  • By

  • Omar Hahad

  • Simon-Noah Hakim-Meibodi

  • Seyed Hamed Rastguye Haghi

  • Sasan Faridi

  • Andreas Daiber

  • Alexandra Schneider

  • Kathrin Wolf

  • Nikolaos Nikolaou

  • Volker H. Schmitt

  • Philipp Lurz

  • Christine Espinola-Klein

  • Yafang Cheng

  • Andrea Pozzer

  • Jos Lelieveld

  • Thomas Münzel

  • Daniel Wollschläger

  • Lukas Hobohm

  • Karsten Keller

  • April 30, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To assess seasonal variations in ischemic stroke hospital admissions, in-hospital case-fatality, and complications in Germany over an 18-year period.

Key Findings:
  • No statistically significant seasonal variation in stroke hospitalization rates.
  • In-hospital case-fatality was significantly higher in winter (7.4%) compared to summer (6.6%, p < 0.001), with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.140 (95% CI: 1.128–1.152).
  • The increased winter case-fatality was independent of age, sex, and comorbidities.
Interpretation:

The findings indicate a need for targeted seasonal prevention and management strategies for ischemic stroke patients, particularly during winter months, to reduce in-hospital case-fatality.

Limitations:
  • The study is retrospective and relies on administrative data, which may have inherent biases affecting the accuracy of the findings.
  • Potential confounding factors not accounted for in the analysis may influence the results.
Conclusion:

While ischemic stroke admissions did not vary seasonally, the significantly higher in-hospital case-fatality during winter underscores the importance of further research into underlying mechanisms and interventions.

Original Source(s)

Seasonal variations in hospital admissions and case-fatality of ischemic stroke: a nationwide analysis of >4.2 million cases in Germany

  • by Omar Hahad, Simon-Noah Hakim-Meibodi, Seyed Hamed Rastguye Haghi, Sasan Faridi, Andreas Daiber, Alexandra Schneider, Kathrin Wolf, Nikolaos Nikolaou, Volker H. Schmitt, Philipp Lurz, Christine Espinola-Klein, Yafang Cheng, Andrea Pozzer, Jos Lelieveld, Thomas Münzel, Daniel Wollschläger, Lukas Hobohm, Karsten Keller

  • April 30, 2026

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