The SOAR stroke score predicts inpatient and 7-day mortality in acute stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: An accurate prognosis is useful for patients, family, and service providers after acute stroke.

METHODS: We validated the Stroke subtype, Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project Classification, Age, and prestroke Rankin stroke score in predicting inpatient and 7-day mortality using data from 8 National Health Service hospital trusts in the Anglia Stroke and Heart Clinical Network between September 2008 and April 2011.

RESULTS: A total of 3547 stroke patients (ischemic, 92%) were included. An incremental increase of inpatient and 7-day mortality was observed with increase in Stroke subtype, Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project Classification, Age, and prestroke Rankin stroke score. Using a cut-off of ≥3, the area under the receiver operator curves values for inpatient and 7-day mortality were 0.80 and 0.82, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: A simple score based on 4 easily obtainable variables at the point of care may potentially help predict early stroke mortality.