Studies on cerebrovascular strokes. II. Clinical findings and short-term prognosis in a stroke material

This paper reports the second part of an investigation of first-time cerebrovascular strokes in people under 70 years of age. The clinical data of 344 patients, together with the short-term outcome of the disease, are presented. The immediate (one month) overall mortality was 38%. The corresponding percentage for cerebral haemorrhage was 86, for cerebral infarction 20 and for cerebral embolism 28. Of the surviving patients, 111 had to be transferred to some form of institution at discharge after the acute phase; 103 were able to return to their homes. The influence of various factors upon the immediate prognosis is discussed. Of the clinical findings, the level of consciousness and a calculated score based on the neurological symptoms on admission, proved to have the highest predictive value. Using this score it was possible to predict the outcome in about 85%. Single factors very highly associated with a poor prognosis were the co-existence of cardiac disease and renal insufficiency. There was a notably high prevalence of hypercalcaemia.