OBJECTIVES: The aims of this analysis was to assess the re-hospitalisations rates for stroke (ST) and transient ischemia (TI) recurrences as well as related inpatient costs through the French national Hospitals Medical Health Information database (PMSI). METHODS: A retrospective hospital administrative-claims analysis was carried out based on the Diagnoses Related Groups (DRG)-data of four hospitals within the Burgundy region along the 2006-2011 period. In each of the four hospitals, three cohorts were followed up over two years. Patients were excluded if any related hospitalisation for ST or TI occurred in the preceding two-years (identification through ICD-10 diagnosis codes). One and two-year re-hospitalisations rates for ST and/or IT were calculated. Re-hospitalisations were taken into account if they occurred after one month following inclusion and regardless of the location of the hospital at the national level. Alternatively, ‘all’ re-hospitalisations rates regardless the related diagnosis were also assessed. Inpatient costs were valued based on reference tariffs according to French National Social Health Payer perspective. RESULTS: Around 1'750 patients were followed per cohort across the four hospitals starting from 2009, 2010 and 2011. One-year re-hospitalisations rates for ST and TI ranged from 2.9% to 7.1%. The median time to re-hospitalisation ranged between 1.5 to 9.3 months. Two-year re-hospitalisations rates for ST and TI ranged from 4.5% to 10.4%. Two-year re-hospitalisations rates regardless of related diagnosis in acute and/or rehabilitative settings ranged between 45.5% to 65.1%. Mean costs (+/-SD) per inpatient stay for ST and TI were 4’645€ (+/-3’821) in acute setting (2013 EUR). When excluding TI, mean costs were 5'293€ +/-4'225€. Hospitalization costs varied depending on sub-type of stroke, severity, co-morbidities and also year of costing. CONCLUSIONS: Such short term data on recurrence rates and inpatient costs might be useful when estimating potential benefits of any secondary prevention intervention aiming at reducing stroke relapses.