Ten-year clinical epidemiological trends of intracerebral hemorrhage in Chongqing, China.
BACKGROUND
The combination of an increase in aged population and adaptation of Western lifestyle is modifying the epidemiological status of intracerebral hemorrhage in China. The purpose of this study is to analyse and characterize the changing trends of intracerebral hemorrhage  in Chongqing, the largest city in Southwest China, over the past 10 years.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with intracerebral hemorrhage who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from 1 January 1998 to  31 December 1998 and from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008, respectively. Relevant variable information of these two populations for the two time periods was compared and discussed.


RESULTS
There were a total of 404 intracerebral hemorrhage patients who met the study criteria  and registered in the First Affiliated Hospital in 1998 (128 cases) and 2008 (276 cases). The highest incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage was noted in the 1960s and 1970s age groups. The mean onset age of intracerebral hemorrhage was 2·65 years older in 2008 compared to 1998, specifically  2·10 years older for men and 3·38 years for women. In 1998, male intracerebral hemorrhage patients outnumbered female patients (1·42:1). This gender disproportion became higher in 2008 (1·63:1). Hypertension accounts for the highest proportion of all risk factors.  The number of patients had minimally invasive interventions (intracranial hematoma drainage) was increased, and the in-hospital mortality rate decreased to 14·13% in 2008 from 19·53% in 1998.


CONCLUSIONS
We identified changes in population characteristics of patients  with intracerebral hemorrhage during a period of economic development in China. These changes in patterns of intracerebral hemorrhage have raised new challenges and the needs for priority adjustment in the campaign for intracerebral hemorrhage prevention in China and other developing countries.
Yan
Pengcheng
P
Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Chonqqing Medical University, Chonqqing, China.
Eckermann
Jan M
JM
Qin
Xinyue
X
Zhang
John H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies