The PLAN score: a bedside prediction rule for death and severe disability following acute ischemic stroke.

Background: We sought to develop and validate a simple clinical prediction rule for death and severe disability after acute ischemic stroke that can be used by general clinicians at the time of hospital admission.

Methods: We analyzed data from a registry of 9847 patients (4943 in the derivation cohort and 4904 in the validation cohort) hospitalized with acute ischemic stroke and included in the Registry of the Canadian Stroke Network (July 1, 2003, to March 31, 2008; 11 regional stroke centers in Ontario, Canada). Outcome measures were 30-day and 1-year mortality and a modified Rankin score of 5 to 6 at discharge.

Preadmission antithrombotic treatment and stroke severity in patients with atrial fibrillation and acute ischaemic stroke: an observational study.

Background: Vitamin K antagonists (eg, warfarin) substantially reduce the risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Additionally, therapeutic anticoagulation at time of acute stroke admission might reduce in-hospital mortality and disability. We assessed the association between preadmission antithrombotic treatment and initial stroke severity, neurological deterioration, major vascular events during hospital stay, and death or disability at discharge in patients with acute ischaemic stroke and atrial fibrillation.