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. 2014;42(3):161-8.
doi: 10.1159/000357150. Epub 2014 Feb 20.

Multiplicity of risk factors in ischemic stroke patients: relations to age, sex, and subtype--a study of 2,505 patients from the lund stroke register

Heléne Starby  1 , Hossein Delavaran, Gunnar Andsberg, Håkan Lövkvist, Bo Norrving, Arne Lindgren
Affiliations

Multiplicity of risk factors in ischemic stroke patients: relations to age, sex, and subtype--a study of 2,505 patients from the lund stroke register

Heléne Starby et al. Neuroepidemiology. 2014.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of risk factors for ischemic stroke may vary between different groups of stroke patients. We examined the distribution of individual well-established risk factors as well as the multiplicity of risk factors in different age groups and among subtypes.

Methods: In the Lund Stroke Register, we consecutively enrolled 2,505 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke from 2001 to 2009 and registered hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, current smoking, hypercholesterolemia as well as stroke subtype.

Results: Among young patients (<55 years), at least 50% had ≥2 risk factors and 20-25% had ≥3 risk factors. In patients aged 55 years or older, the proportion with ≥2 risk factors was 70-80% and with ≥3 risk factors 35-45%. Men and women had a similar burden of risk factors. Approximately 50% of the cases classified as cardioembolism (CE) and large artery atherosclerosis (LAA) had ≥3 risk factors, which was significantly more than the other TOAST (Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment) subtypes (CE p < 0.001, LAA p = 0.001).

Conclusions: The prevalence of well-established risk factors is similar among young and old stroke patients with large proportions (50-80%) having ≥2 risk factors. Even though the prevalence of well-established risk factors differs between pathogenetic subtypes, these risk factors as well as the multiplicity of risk factors seem to be of clinical importance in all major subtypes of ischemic stroke.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Prevalence of individual risk factors in different age groups
Error bars indicate upper limits of 95% confidence intervals. * p=0.006 indicates a significant trend in risk factor prevalence in relation to age among women (n/s for men), ** n/s for both sexes, † p<0.001 for both sexes (linear-by-linear association). n/s (not significant).
Figure 2
Figure 2. Proportions of number of risk factors in different age groups
* p<0.001 difference in number of risk factors between age groups 45–54 and 55–64, ** p=0.04 between age groups 65–74 and 75–84, † p=0.006 between age groups 75–84 and over 85 years.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Proportions of pathogenetic stroke subtypes in different age groups
CE (cardioembolism), LAA (large artery atherosclerosis, SAO (small artery occlusion), OC (other causes), UND (stroke of undetermined cause).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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