Arterial events after ischemic stroke at a young age: a cross-sectional long-term follow-up of patients and controls in western Norway.
BACKGROUND
There is little information in the literature on the risk of vascular events among patients after ischemic stroke at a young age.


METHODS
We examined 144 (77%) of 187 long-term survivors of ischemic stroke and compared them with 167 controls. Mean age of the 187 survivors at inclusion was 41.0 years and mean age of the participating patients was 40.8 years.


RESULTS
After a mean duration of observation of 11.8 years, we registered arterial events among 54 patients and 14 controls. Ninety patients with index stroke only had no significant risk factors compared with controls without arterial events. Compared with 54 patients with several arterial events, age, incidence of diabetes mellitus, smoking and family history of coronary disease were significantly lower.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from index-stroke-only patients suggest that a subgroup of patients has a benign course, probably without chronic vascular disease.
Waje-Andreassen
Ulrike
U
Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. uwan@helse-bergen.no
Naess
Halvor
H
Thomassen
Lars
L
Eide
Geir Egil
GE
Vedeler
Christian A
CA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors