title: Poor health-related quality of life is associated with long-term mortality in young adults with cerebral infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to investigate the effect of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) on subsequent mortality in young ischemic stroke patients in a population-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Young ischemic stroke patients were invited to a follow-up on average 6 years after their index stroke. HRQOL was measured by Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and the Nottingham Health Profile (NPH). Data on socioeconomic and functional states were obtained. Subsequent survival was obtained by examining the official population registry. Multivariate analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred eighty-eight patients were included. The mean age on follow-up was 48 years, and the subsequent follow-up period was 12 years. Cox regression analysis revealed that mortality was associated with NHP sum score (P < .001) after adjusting for age (P = .09), sex (P = .11), and alcoholism (P = .04). Cox regression analyses, including subscores of SF-36 or NHP separately, revealed that mortality was associated with pain (P = .05), sleep disturbances (P = .02), and physical function (P = .02) after adjusting for confounders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor HRQOL is associated with subsequent long-term mortality in young adults with ischemic stroke and this may pertain particularly to pain, sleep disturbances and low physical fitness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Halvor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naess
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nyland
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology