The impact of preoperative stroke on 1-year mortality and days at home alive after major surgery: an observational cohort study.

Objective: The lifetime risk of stroke is one in four people. As the population aged over 60 constantly expands, the impact of stroke on perioperative care is of increasing concern. This study investigates the effect of preoperative stroke on short- and long-term outcomes, hypothesizing that it decreases both 1-year mortality and days alive and at home up to 30 days after surgery (DAH30).

Methods: This cohort study investigated 290,306 adult patients with (7214) and without (283,092) preoperative stroke undergoing major non-cardiovascular, non-ambulatory surgery at 23 hospitals in Sweden between 2007 and 2014. Data were pre- and postoperatively matched with quality registers. Using logistic regression, significant independent risk factors influencing the risk of 1-year mortality and impeded DAH30 were identified with adjusted odds ratios calculated.

Results: Preoperative stroke was associated with higher 1-year mortality and lower DAH30, even after full adjustment for other co-morbid and surgical factors.

Conclusions: This large cohort showed preoperative stroke to impact both the patient-centered short-term outcome DAH30 and 1-year mortality. These findings should be considered in perioperative planning.