title: Predictive variables for mortality after acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Stroke is a major healthcare issue worldwide with an incidence comparable to coronary events, highlighting the importance of understanding risk factors for stroke and subsequent mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, we determined long-term (all-cause) mortality in 545 patients with ischemic stroke compared with a cohort of 330 age-matched healthy control subjects followed up for a median of 7.4 years. We assessed the effect of selected demographic, clinical, biochemical, hematologic, and hemostatic factors on mortality in patients with ischemic stroke. Stroke subtype was classified according to the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project criteria. Patients who died 30 days or less after the acute event (n=32) were excluded from analyses because this outcome is considered to be directly attributable to the acute event.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with ischemic stroke were at more than 3-fold increased risk of death compared with the age-matched control cohort. In multivariate analyses, age, stroke subtype, atrial fibrillation, and previous stroke/transient ischemic attack were predictive of mortality in patients with ischemic stroke. Albumin and creatinine and the hemostatic factors von Willebrand factor and beta-thromboglobulin were also predictive of mortality in patients with ischemic stroke after accounting for demographic and clinical variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that subjects with acute ischemic stroke are at increased risk of all-cause mortality. Advancing age, large-vessel stroke, atrial fibrillation, and previous stroke/transient ischemic attack predict mortality; and analysis of albumin, creatinine, von Willebrand factor, and beta-thromboglobulin will aid in the identification of patients at increased risk of death after stroke.
authors: Academic Unit of Molecular Vascular Medicine, The LIGHT Laboratories, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
authors: Angela M
authors: AM
authors: Carter
authors: Andrew J
authors: AJ
authors: Catto
authors: Michael W
authors: MW
authors: Mansfield
authors: John M
authors: JM
authors: Bamford
authors: Peter J
authors: PJ
authors: Grant
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate