[Hospital mortality in ischemia: influence of two vascular risk factors].
BACKGROUND
Acute cerebrovascular disease is a serious neurological problem. Mortality is between 6% and 30%. Most studies are in agreement that advanced age, type of ictus, size of lesion and clinical deterioration are factors determining mortality. However, its relationship to vascular risk factors is not completely clear.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the repercussion of different vascular risk factors on mortality during the acute phase of ictus.


METHODS
We studied all patients with ictus admitted to the Servicio de Neurología of the Hospital Xeral de Galicia de Santiago de Compostela over a period of 3 years (n = 915). We recorded vascular risk factors and analyzed the causes of mortality whilst in hospital.


RESULTS
Hospital mortality due to ictus was 16.8%. Mortality was 14.5% in cerebral infarct, 23.2% in intracerebral haemorrhage and 19.4% in subarachnoid haemorrhage. A total of 20.8% of the patients died of neurological causes, 24.7% of vascular causes, 26% due to infection and of uncertain causes in the remaining 28.6%. There was a neurological cause of death in 46.1% of the patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage, 25.5% with intracerebral haemorrhage and 14.8% with cerebral infarcts. Vascular risk factors associated with greater mortality were age (p < 0.001) and a history of cardiopathy (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Vascular risk factors which indicated worse prognosis were: age, type of ictus and a history of cardiopathy.
López-González
F J
FJ
Servicio de Neurología, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago-Hospital Xeral de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, España.
Aldrey
J M
JM
Cacabelos
P
P
Castillo
J
J
D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000401:mortality* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate
Mortalidad hospitalaria en el ictus: influencia de los factores de riesgo vascular.