Life-Table Analysis of Survival After Cerebral Thrombosis— Ten-Year Experience

Factors of possible prognostic value have been sought in the records of 1,018 patients with cerebral thrombosis admitted to three major hospitals of Worcester during the years 1947 through 1956. The initial attack was fatal in 21 % of the cases. Of the 737 patients who survived the first episode of thrombosis, 50% died within 4.1 years, while only 18% of a comparable sample of the general population died within that time. The principal cause of subsequent mortality was recurrent vascular disease, which accounted for 85% of all deaths. There were no important differences between those who survived and those who did not survive the first attack in regard to the incidence of coronary disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, but the association of congestive heart failure with cerebral thrombosis was found to carry a poorer immediate prognosis. Additional factors adversely affecting prognosis were severe initial attacks, and early recurrences.