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Predictors of death among long-term stroke survivors
Torgeir Engstad1, Matti Viitanen, Egil Arnesen
1Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway. Torgeir.Engstad@ism.uit.no
Background And Purpose:
We evaluated the risk factors for death among long-term stroke survivors compared with stroke-free subjects.
Methods:
In 1997 we investigated 221 stroke survivors (mean, 9.4 years after index stroke) and 243 stroke-free subjects; both groups were recruited from a population-based health study. During the subsequent 5 years, all deaths (51 and 21 in the stroke and stroke-free groups, respectively) were registered.
Results:
The age- and sex-adjusted total mortality rate for the 5-year follow-up was 21.0% in the stroke group and 7.9% in the stroke-free group (P<0.0001), depending on different rates of cardiovascular deaths (P<0.0001). Better physical and social functioning (P<0.0001) and moderate use of alcohol (P
Conclusions:
The long-term stroke survivors had significant excess risk of death compared with stroke-free subjects. Better physical and social functioning and moderate use of alcohol were associated with decreased risk, whereas a myocardial infarction risk score increased risk for death only in the stroke-free group.