Prognosis of elderly hospital patients with cerebral thrombosis.

Abstract

Over 8000 patients with cerebral thrombosis (ICD-8 number 433) hospitalised between 1970 and 1980 were surveyed retrospectively for outcome and additional diseases. The case-fatality rates and long-term prognosis of the patients were strongly affected by age, and the number of patients requiring permanent hospital care rose sharply with increasing age. The case-fatality rates in the different age groups were as follows: under 50 years 6%, 50-64 years 16%, 65-74 years 32%, 75-84 years 48% and over 85 years 66%. The cumulative survival rates at 1 and 5 years were as follows: under 50 years 54 and 46%, 50-64 years and 38%, 65-74 years 60 and 20% and over 75 years 45 and 10%. Clinical manifest coronary heart disease clearly affected the prognosis of patients under 75 years, but the impact diminished with rising age. Although hypertension led to an earlier onset of ischemic stroke, it did not significantly influence the survival prognosis. In patients over 75 years additional diseases, e.g. diabetes, had no significant effect on case-fatality or long-term prognosis underlining the malignant nature of cerebral thrombosis itself.