A study on the predictors of in hospital mortality of patients with acute stroke in Basrah

Aim: to identify predictors of in hospital mortality after acute stroke and to investigate the impact of statins on stroke mortality within a package of other predictors.Patient method: all patients were admitted to Al-Sadr teaching hospital in Basrah from January 2013 to September 2013 with acute stroke. Diagnosis of acute stroke was based on clinical imaging criteria as documented in patients medical files. Results: A total of 147 patients (104 males and 43 females) were studied. Common co-morbidity included hypertension which was documented in (68.3%) and diabetes mellitus in (45.8%). Twenty three (16.0%) of stroke patients died while in hospital. Logistic regression analysis indicated significant prediction of mortality by history of old stroke, female gender, use of statins and high diastolic blood pressure at the time of admission. Conclusions: female gender, recurrent stroke, elevated DBP and use of statins were all predicting in hospital mortality.