PROGNOSTIC-SIGNIFICANCE OF CONJUGATE EYE DEVIATION IN STROKE PATIENTS

We prospectively studied the prognostic significance of conjugate eye deviation in 80 patients with acute stroke and compared the 3-month mortality and disability of these patients to those of the Tilburg epidemiological study of stroke. Mortality of patients with conjugate eye deviation was higher (41%) than for the general stroke population (34%), but this difference was not statistically significant (p < 0.179). Looking at mortality and disability together, we found the outcome of patients with conjugate eye deviation to be significantly worse (p < 0.001). Deviation of the eyes occurred more frequently to the right (65%) than to the left (35%). In the patient group with eye deviation to the left, mortality was significantly higher (64%, p < 0.001) than in the group with eye deviation to the right (25%); only two patients of the former group (n = 28) could return home. Compared to the Tilburg epidemiological study of stroke, the group with eye deviation to the left did significantly worse, both for mortality alone (p < 0.001) and for mortality and disability together (p < 0.001). The group with eye deviation to the right did significantly worse only for mortality and disability together (p < 0.01). Our results indicate that conjugate eye deviation is a prognostic factor for poor short-term mortality and disability in stroke patients, especially when the eyes are deviated to the left.