Trends in five-year survival and risk of recurrent stroke after first-ever stroke in the Perth Community Stroke Study.
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.
Hardie
Kate
K
School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Jamrozik
Konrad
K
Hankey
Graeme J
GJ
Broadhurst
Robyn J
RJ
Anderson
Craig
C
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