The prognosis of ischemic stroke in young adults.

The report provides prognostic information on 60 patients (aged 16 to 40 years) with ischemic stroke. Immediate mortality from stroke is low and long-term mortality is due to other causes than cerebrovascular disease. The recovery from neurological deficits is good except for patients with occlusions of the internal carotic artery or the proximal parts of the middle cerebral artery. Reinfarction is rare (about 0.5 per cent annually) and other late neurological complications do not seriously affect long-term prognosis. More than 80 per cent of the patients will be able to resume work on a full or part-time basis.