Long-term mortality among young ischemic stroke patients in western Norway.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain data on long-term mortality among young ischemic stroke patients compared with controls in this population-based study.


METHODS
We used Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to compare 232 patients aged 15-49 years with first-ever cerebral infarction in 1988-1997 and 453 controls followed from inclusion to death or 1 August 2005 for 2515 and 5558 person-years respectively. In a subanalysis of 192 patients, we compared risk factor variables using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank testing. We applied a Cox proportional hazards model to adjust for multiple risk factors.


RESULTS
Forty-five patients and nine controls died during follow-up (P < 0.0005). Independent risk factors for mortality were active tumor disease (P < 0.0005), high consumption of alcohol (P < 0.0005), coronary atherosclerosis (P < 0.001), living alone (P < 0.02), seizures (P < 0.04) and smoking (P = 0.08).


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term mortality was significantly increased among young stroke patients, mainly due to such lifestyle factors as high consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
Waje-Andreassen
U
U
Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. uwan@helse-bergen.no
Naess
H
H
Thomassen
L
L
Eide
G E
GE
Vedeler
C A
CA
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate