Trends in incidence, risk factors, and survival in symptomatic lacunar stroke in Dijon, France, from 1989 to 2006: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
Lacunar infarcts are usually regarded as benign stroke, but population-based studies are required to assess the exact place of this stroke subtype in cerebrovascular pathology.


METHODS
We evaluated trends in incidence rates, risk factor profiles, and survival rates in symptomatic lacunar stroke from a prospective population-based registry from 1989 to 2006.


RESULTS
We recorded 2536 ischemic strokes. Among these, 715 (28%) were lacunar infarcts (354 men and 361 women). From 1989 to 2006, we observed a significant rise in the incidence of lacunar stroke in the 2 sexes considered together (relative risk, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.005 to 1.035; P=0.007), whereas the variation was not significant in either men or women when considered separately. Incidence rates significantly increased in young patients under 65 years old (relative risk, 1.049; 95% CI, 1.0175 to 1.0817; P=0.002). Concerning the distribution of cerebrovascular risk factors, lacunar stroke differed from nonlacunar stroke only with regard to the lower prevalence of a history of atrial fibrillation in the former (P<0.001). For lacunar infarcts, survival rates were 96% at 1 month (95% CI, 0.94 to 0.97), 86% at 1 year (95% CI, 0.83 to 0.89), and 78% at 2 years (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.81) and were significantly higher than those for nonlacunar stroke (hazard ratio, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.70 to 2.47; P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest a significant increase in the incidence rates of lacunar stroke with a relatively good short-term prognosis in terms of survival. The association among hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and lacunar stroke was no stronger than the association between these 2 risk factors and nonlacunar stroke.
Bejot
Yannick
Y
Stroke Registry of Dijon (Inserm et Institut de Veille Sanitaire), EA4184, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine of Dijon, University of Burgundy, Dijon, France.
Catteau
Aurélie
A
Caillier
Marie
M
Rouaud
Olivier
O
Durier
Jerome
J
Marie
Christine
C
Di Carlo
Antonio
A
Osseby
Guy-Victor
GV
Moreau
Thibault
T
Giroud
Maurice
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors