Prevalence of stroke in the general population. The Rotterdam Study.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the prevalence of self-reported and medically confirmed stroke and the degree to which the event had led to hospitalization.


METHODS
From all participants of the Rotterdam Study, a population-based cohort study of 7983 subjects aged 55 years and older living in a suburb of Ommoord in Rotterdam, information on stroke history was obtained by the question, "Did you ever suffer from a stroke, diagnosed by a physician?" Supplementary medical information was obtained from general practitioner or hospital discharge records.


RESULTS
Prevalence of self-reported stroke was 2.5% in men aged 55 to 64 years, 5.0% in men aged 65 to 74 years, 8.9% in men aged 75 to 84 years, and 11.6% in men aged 85 years or older. Corresponding figures for women were 1.6%, 3.3%, 6.7%, and 10.5%, respectively. Of the self-reported strokes, 67% could be confirmed by medical information. In 53% (95% confidence interval, 47% to 60%) of subjects with a confirmed stroke, the event had led to hospital admission. The proportion of hospitalized patients decreased with age.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study provides valid age- and sex-specific estimates of prevalence of stroke. A substantial proportion of patients with stroke is not hospitalized.
Bots
M L
ML
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Erasmus University Medical School, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Looman
S J
SJ
Koudstaal
P J
PJ
Hofman
A
A
Hoes
A W
AW
Grobbee
D E
DE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence