title: Prevalence of stroke and vascular risk factors among first-degree relatives of stroke patients and control subjects. A prospective consecutive study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic and environmental factors may be of importance for stroke risk. We assessed the prevalence of stroke and vascular risk factors among first-degree relatives and spouses of stroke patients and control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  As a part of the Lund Stroke Register study, we asked 925 consecutive patients with first-ever stroke and 286 control subjects to complete a questionnaire about all their first-degree relatives and spouses. The questionnaires addressed whether these relatives had been affected by stroke or TIA, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and if they were smokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 606 patients and 261 control subjects returned the questionnaire, providing information on 4,972 first-degree relatives and 738 spouses. The prevalence of stroke or TIA was 12.3% among first-degree relatives of patients and 7.5% among first-degree relatives of control subjects (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.36-2.22). Corresponding results for hypertension were 21.0 and 16.7% (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.10-1.60). The prevalences of heart disease, diabetes mellitus and smoking did not differ significantly between first-degree relatives of patients and control subjects. Spouses of patients and control subjects had similar prevalences of stroke or TIA and vascular risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalences of stroke or TIA and hypertension are higher among first-degree relatives of stroke patients than among first-degree relatives of control subjects. This, and the lack of differences between spouses of patients and control subjects, indicates that an increased risk of stroke may in part be explained by heritability of hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. arne.lindgren@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindgren
authors.forename: Håkan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lovkvist
authors.forename: Bjorn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hallstrom
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoglund
authors.forename: Ann-Cathrin
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kristoffersson
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luthman
authors.forename: Bjorn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Norrving
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D018454:Spouses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires