Neurology inpatient and 30-day discharge mortality: a cause of death analysis

<h3>Introduction</h3> Patients admitted under neurology services may die from direct sequelae of neurologic illness or secondary complications. This study was aimed to recognise those causes and identify preventable measures. <h3>Methods</h3> A retrospective study was completed by analysing the neurology inpatient and 30- day discharge mortality data from a regional neurosciences centre. Patient deaths information for January 2018 - October 2023 was obtained from departmental mortality-morbidity reviews and electronic patient records. The causes of death were documented as per medical certificate of cause of death and coroner reports. <h3>Results</h3> There were 94 deaths within the study period - 53 inpatient and 41 occurring within 30 days of discharge. 19/94 (20.21%) deaths were unexpected and 13/94 (13.83%) deaths prompted incident reports, internal investigations or formal coroner referrals. The primary causes of death identified were: pneumonia (12), respiratory failure (7), Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (7), motor neurone disease (7), metastatic cancer (6), aspiration pneumonia (5), covid pneumonitis (5). No cause of death information was available for 9 cases. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The results demonstrate respiratory illness contributed to 30.85% of all deaths. We can thus recommend care pathways for neurological inpatients should focus on reducing harm from respiratory infection and neuromuscular respiratory failure.