Wilkinson 2000.

Methods	Uncontrolled before‐and‐after study. Retrospective data collection.
Participants	275 stroke episodes ‐ CP group 142, 'before' group 133.
Interventions	TREATMENT GROUP: Stroke pathway introduced in 1997 but pathway care poorly defined. CONTROL GROUP: Undefined patient care before July 1997; patient admitted via Emergency Department to acute medical ward for 2‐3 days, then transferred to post‐acute medical ward, then referred to rehabilitation if necessary; poor documentation; variable LOS; CP introduced as a method for cost‐containment and improvement of outcome.
Outcomes	Mean LOS (days): CP=5.8 vs Before=10.6.
Notes	Acute stroke. Lack of clear data made summarisation difficult. No data on baseline characteristics.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	D ‐ Not used

CC: concurrent control 
 CP: care pathway 
 CT: computed tomography 
 CXR: chest x‐ray 
 DRG: diagnostic related groups 
 DVT: deep vein thrombosis 
 ECG: electrocardiogram 
 EEG: electroencephalogram 
 FIM: functional independence measure 
 GMW: general medical ward 
 IQR: interquatile range 
 IV: intravenous 
 LOS: length of stay (in hospital) 
 LP: lumbar puncture 
 MDT: multidisciplinary team 
 MI: myocardial infarction 
 MRA: magnetic resonance angiography 
 n: number of patients 
 NS: non‐significant (statistical) 
 OT: occupational therapy 
 PEG: percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy 
 PT: physiotherapy 
 SAH: subarachnoid haemorrhage 
 SALT: speech and language therapy 
 TEDS: thrombo‐embolism deterrent stockings 
 TIA: transient ischaemic attack 
 UTI: urinary tract infection 
 vs: versus 
 $: US dollar (cost per patient) 
 +/‐: plus or minus one standard deviation