Objective To investigate the quality of life(QOL)of patients with stroke and its related factors.Methods The QOL of eighty-two stroke survivors was assessed in terms of SF-36 scores,motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer),disability[Barthel index(BI)]and depression(HAMD)more than one year after their first episode.Their social demographic characteristics such as age,gender,education and income were recorded,as were the characteristics of their disease and any complications.Multiple regression analysis was used to analyse the related factors.Results The average age of the 82 subjects was 61.89 + 9.81 years(range,33-81).56 of them were male (68.2％).Scores on all items of the SF-36 for these subjects were lower than those of a normal population.Correlation analysis showed income,cost for medical care,regular exercise,movement function,ability in the activities of daily living,depression,hypertension and shoulder pain were significantly correlated with most of the SF-36 domain scores.Motor function,income and cost for medical care explained 34％ of the variance in SF-36 scores.Motor function was the single most important factor.Conclusion The major factors affecting the QOL of stroke patients are motor function,level of income and cost for medical care.Paying more attention to rehabilitation treatment,taking regular exercise and more income could help improve the QOL of stroke survivors.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to determine the level of exposure of mercury (Hg) miners and smelter workers to elemental mercury (Hg(0)) vapor in China, who work in Hg mines without using protective equipment against Hg(0) vapor. In addition, the level of methylmercury (MeHg) intake by the workers was estimated from the MeHg concentration in their hair.

METHODSUrinary total mercury (THg) and hair THg and MeHg concentrations were measured in 26 Hg miners and smelter workers (i.e., exposed group), and 48 unexposed people (unexposed group).

RESULTSThe exposed group showed high geometric mean THg concentrations in urine (258 ng/ml, 226 μg/g creatinine) and hair (20.0 μg/g). The urinary THg concentration of the smelter workers in particular was extremely high (338 μg/g creatinine in urine). The highest urine THg concentration reached 4577 μg/g creatinine. THg concentrations in urine and hair showed a significant correlation in the exposed group (r=0.62), indicating the adhesion of Hg(0) vapor to hair. However, no such significant correlation was found in the unexposed group. Hair MeHg concentration in the exposed group (1.97 μg/g) was about threefold higher than that in the unexposed group (0.60 μg/g).

CONCLUSIONSThis study shows that smelter workers in a Chinese Hg mine are exposed to extremely high levels of Hg(0) vapor, and that Hg miners are exposed to higher levels of MeHg than the unexposed subjects. Further study is needed to determine the cause of the higher hair MeHg concentration in the exposed group.