title: Etiology of and risk factors for cerebral infarction in young adults in western Norway: a population-based case-control study.
abstract: We sought to study the etiology of and risk factors for cerebral infarction in young adults in Hordaland County, Norway. All patients aged 15-49 years living in Hordaland County with a first-ever cerebral infarction during 1988-97 were included. Etiology was analyzed in subgroups defined by sex, age (<40 years versus >/=40 years), circulation territory (anterior versus posterior circulation) and short-term functional outcome [modified Rankin score (mRS) </= 2 versus mRS > 2]. A questionnaire was used to evaluate possible risk factors amongst the patients compared with an age- and sex-matched control group. The distribution of etiology was significantly different in all subgroups. Atherosclerosis was frequent amongst men (22.8% vs. 4.2%) and patients >/= 40 years (20.8% vs. 2.7%). All patients with microangiopathy had favorable short-term outcome. Significant risk factors were smoking more than 15 cigarettes per day (P < 0.001), hypertension (P = 0.001), and myocardial infarction (P = 0.035). Modifiable risk factors were frequent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. halvor.naess@haukeland.no
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naess
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Nyland
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thomassen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aarseth
authors.forename: K-M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Myhr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires