title: Circadian variation in the frequency of ischemic stroke.
abstract: The frequency of myocardial infarction and sudden death is increased between 6 AM and noon. To determine whether the same is true for the onset of ischemic stroke, we studied 426 consecutive patients within 12 hours after the onset of their first hemispheric stroke. The frequency of onset of hemispheric stroke was significantly (p = 0.0001) higher from 6:01 AM to noon (56.1%) than from 12:01 PM to 6 PM (20.2%), from 6:01 PM to midnight (8.2%), and from 12:01 AM to 6 AM (15.5%). The identification of periods of high risk for vascular events may have important therapeutic implications, such as matching drug effects with vulnerability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Argentino
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasura
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Violi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sacchetti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Allegretta
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Balsano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fieschi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed