Introduction: the perception of Quality of Life (QoL) has been used to evaluate the treatment and evolution of several pathologies. QoL evaluation allows a better understanding of the patient and his adaptation to the disease. An observational, community-based and descriptive correlational study was carried out to analyze stroke survivors’ perception of QoL. Methods: consecutive case-series of stroke survivors (≥3 months) followed in a single public primary health center (“Tavira Primary Health Centre”) from Algarve, southern Portugal. The Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of life instrument was administered in 102 stroke survivors. Results: Perception of QoL was associated (p < 0.05) with specific sociodemographic (age, sex, marital status, academic training), economic (monthly family income) and clinical factors (number of vascular risk factors, type of stroke, evolution, chronic mRankin score). On multivariate analysis, chronic mRankin score on physical (R² = 0.406; F = 8.757; p < 0.001), psychological (R² = 0.286; F = 5.536; p < 0.001) and general domain (R² = 0.357; F = 7.287; p < 0.001); and family income (R² = 0.160; F = 3.156; p < 0.005) on environmental domain, emerged as predictors of QoL. Conclusion: Different socio-demographic, economic and health factors are associated with post-stroke QoL. Description of QoL contributes to the overall evaluation of the impact of stroke on health and should be a priority for health professionals.

The chest X-ray showed bilateral interstitium infiltrates with slight effacement of the costophrenic angles and elevation of the right hemicupula (figure 1A). The thorax CT scan was consistent with interstitial pneumonitis (figure 1B, C). Serological tests for viral atypical organisms, antinuclear antibodies, ACE inhibitors and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were carried out but with negative results. Pulmonary function tests, alveolar lavage and lung biopsy were not performed. The treatment with nilutamide was discontinued and the patient was started on bronchodilator therapy and prednisolone 40 mg/day with clinical improvement after 3 days of hospitalisation and discharge from hospital at day 14 with normal clinical observation, gasimetric normalisation, negative RCP and improved chest X-ray imaging. Nilutamide is a non-steroidal antiandrogen, which competitively inhibits the binding of androgens to the androgen receptor.1 Interstitial pneumonitis is an extremely rare, although reversible, adverse reaction to non-steroidal antiandrogen treatment, being described in 1–2% of the patients taking the drug.2 The mechanisms by which non-steroidal antiandrogens cause pulmonary disease remain unclear.3