title: Family history of stroke in stroke types and subtypes.
abstract: Many studies have provided data showing that family history of stroke (FHS) is associated with an increased risk of stroke. The association of the FHS with the various stroke subtypes has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of the FHS with the two major stroke types (cerebral haematomas and ischaemic strokes) and the four stroke subtypes (cardioembolic, large artery disease, small artery disease, and undetermined) in a Greek population. The FHS was obtained from 421 consecutive acute stroke patients and from 239 matched control subjects. Positive FHS was observed in 49% of all stroke patients compared with 28% of the control subjects [adjusted OR=2.06 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.42-3.00)]. Haematomas, ischaemic strokes, and from the ischaemic strokes, both large and small artery disease strokes were strongly associated with positive FHS compared with the control subjects [adjusted OR=2.06 (95% CI 9-3.04), 2.07 (95% CI 1.09-3.91), 2.05 (95% CI 1.24-3.38), and 2.76 (95% CI 1.55-4.91), respectively]. There was no difference between maternal and paternal heritable contribution.In conclusion, FHS was found in this study to be an independent risk factor for all strokes combined, for each stroke type, and for the large and small-artery disease stroke subtypes, but not for the cardioembolic and undetermined stroke subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Patras, P.O. Box 1045, 26500, Rion-, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Polychronopoulos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gioldasis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellul
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Metallinos
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Lekka
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paschalis
authors.forename: Th
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Papapetropoulos
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D020299:Intracranial Hemorrhage, Hypertensive / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics