Poor health-related quality of life is associated with long-term mortality in young adults with cerebral infarction.

Our aim was to investigate the effect of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) on subsequent mortality in young ischemic stroke patients in a population-based study.Young ischemic stroke patients were invited to a follow-up on average 6 years after their index stroke. HRQOL was measured by Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and the Nottingham Health Profile (NPH). Data on socioeconomic and functional states were obtained. Subsequent survival was obtained by examining the official population registry. Multivariate analyses were performed.One hundred eighty-eight patients were included. The mean age on follow-up was 48 years, and the subsequent follow-up period was 12 years. Cox regression analysis revealed that mortality was associated with NHP sum score (P < .001) after adjusting for age (P = .09), sex (P = .11), and alcoholism (P = .04). Cox regression analyses, including subscores of SF-36 or NHP separately, revealed that mortality was associated with pain (P = .05), sleep disturbances (P = .02), and physical function (P = .02) after adjusting for confounders.Poor HRQOL is associated with subsequent long-term mortality in young adults with ischemic stroke and this may pertain particularly to pain, sleep disturbances and low physical fitness.