Stroke risk estimation across nine European countries in the MORGAM project.
BACKGROUND
Previous tools for stroke risk assessment have either been developed for specific populations or lack data on non-fatal events or uniform data collection. The purpose of this study was to develop a stepwise model for the estimation of 10 year risk of stroke in nine different countries across Europe.


METHODS
Using data from the MOnica Risk, Genetics, Archiving and Monograph (MORGAM) Project, sex-specific models estimating 10 year risk of stroke were developed using a Cox regression model stratified by country and including modelling of competing risks. Models were developed in a stepwise manner first using only data from questionnaires, and then adding data from physical examinations and finally data from blood samples.


RESULTS
During 1,176,296 years of observation, 2928 incident fatal and non-fatal events of stroke were registered. The developed model showed good calibration and accuracy of prediction. The discrimination of the model varied between sex and country but increased with increasing number of variables used (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve between 0.77 and 0.79 in men and between 0.75 and 0.80 in women).


CONCLUSIONS
The present study shows that using a large multicountry cohort from nine European countries it is possible to develop a stepwise risk estimation model for 10 year risk of stroke tailored to different availability of risk factors and still obtain valid measures of risk even in the simplest form of the model, with increasing performance of the model following increasing complexity. The methods chosen which separate this model from previous models (competing risk and stepwise approach) should be considered for future risk estimation models.
Borglykke
Anders
A
Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark. andbor01@glo.regionh.dk
Andreasen
Anne H
AH
Kuulasmaa
Kari
K
Sans
Susana
S
Ducimetière
Pierre
P
Vanuzzo
Diego
D
Ferrario
Marco M
MM
Palmieri
Luigi
L
Karvanen
Juha
J
Tunstall-Pedoe
Hugh
H
Jørgensen
Torben
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*