title: Ischemic stroke in patients older and younger than 80 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare short-term outcome and long-term mortality in old and younger patients with ischemic stroke. We hypothesized that short-term outcomes in patients≥80 and <80 years with no neurological worsening are similar.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to assess stroke severity. Short-term outcome was determined by the NIHSS score 7 days after stroke onset. Neurological worsening was defined as NIHSS score worsening >3 points. Risk factors, prior diseases, complications, and long-term mortality were registered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study includes 592 patients≥80 years and 1275 patients<80 years. High NIHSS score on admission and day 7, neurological worsening, and complications were significantly more frequent among patients≥80 years. In patients with no neurological worsening, improvement in NIHSS score on day 7 was not associated with age≥80 years (P=0.75). Long-term mortality was associated with the number of risk factors in both age groups (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Avoiding neurological worsening may have a large potential for reducing the difference in short-term outcome between old and young stroke patients by preventing treatable complications including pneumonia. Risk factor burden is important for long-term survival in both stroke patients≥80 years and <80 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naess
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gjerde
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Waje-Andreassen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality*; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: cerebrovascular disease; old patients; short-term outcome