Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics in very old patients suffering from acute stroke and to determine predictors of patient survival outcome in a regional hospital in which elderly patients with acute stroke are treated. Ninety-seven very old patients (> 79 years) with acute stroke admitted to the department of neurosurgery in our hospital were enrolled, and the association between patient outcome and several factors including age, sex, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge from the hospital, tube feeding at discharge and pneumonia during the hospitalization were analyzed by using Cox hazard model and log rank test. One-year survival of the 97 patients was 75%. Among them, patients younger than 85 years and those with mRS 0 to 3 resulted in a good outcome. Moreover, in 82 patients, excluding 15 patients who died during hospitalization, mRS 3 to 5, tube feeding and pneumonia were risk factors associated with patient death after discharge. Among them, pneumonia was the most significant and independent risk factor. Therefore, in very old patients with acute stroke, pneumonia during hospitalization as well as age and mRS may be important risk factors for predicting survival outcome. We should consider these factors when treatment after discharge is planned.
