title: Trends in five-year survival and risk of recurrent stroke after first-ever stroke in the Perth Community Stroke Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies provide information on trends in the long-term outcome of stroke. We aimed to determine trends in survival and recurrent stroke, over 5 years after first-ever stroke, for 2 cohorts of patients enrolled in the Perth Community Stroke Study in 1989-90 and 1995-96.
  
  
  METHODS
  For 12-month periods beginning February 1989 and February 1995, all individuals with an acute stroke who were resident in a geographically-defined and representative region of Perth, Western Australia, were registered and followed-up prospectively 5 years after the index event.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 5-year cumulative risk of death was 59% (95% confidence interval (CI) 53%, 65%) and 58% (95% CI 52%, 65%) for the 1989-90 and 1995-96 cohorts, respectively (p = 0.94). The 5-year cumulative risk of first recurrent stroke was 32% (95% CI 25%, 40%) and 23% (95% CI 16%, 30%) for the 1989-90 and 1995-96 cohorts, respectively (p = 0.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although no statistically significant improvement occurred in 5-year survival after first-ever stroke in Perth between 1989-90 and 1995-96, there was a statistically nonsignificant trend towards a smaller cumulative risk of recurrent stroke over 5 years after a first-ever stroke. Serial community-based studies of the incidence and outcome of stroke are an important means of monitoring the translation of proven preventive interventions to improvements in population health.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hardie
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jamrozik
authors.forename: Graeme J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hankey
authors.forename: Robyn J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Broadhurst
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology