title: Program for the epidemiological evaluation of stroke in Tandil, Argentina (PREVISTA) study: rationale and design.
abstract: The availability of population-based epidemiological data on the incident risk of stroke is very scarce in Argentina and other Latin American countries. In response to the priorities established by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, PREVISTA was envisaged as a population-based program to determine the risk of first-ever and recurrent stroke and transient ischemic attack incidence and mortality in Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The study will be conducted according to Standardized Tools for Stroke Surveillance (STEPS Stroke) methodology and will enroll all new (incident) and recurrent consecutive cases of stroke and transient ischemic attack in the City of Tandil between May 1st, 2013 and April 30, 2015. The study will include patients with ischemic stroke, non-traumatic primary intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and transient ischemic attack. To ensure the inclusion of every cerebrovascular event during an observation period of two years, we will instrument an 'intensive screening program', consisting of a comprehensive daily tracking of every potential event of stroke or transient ischemic attack using multiple overlapping sources. Mortality would be determined during follow-up for every enrolled patient. Also, fatal community events would be screened daily through revision of death certificates at funeral homes and local offices of vital statistics. All causes of death will be adjudicated by an ad-hoc committee. The close population of Tandil is representative of a large proportion of Latin-American countries with low- and middle-income economies. The findings and conclusions of PREVISTA may provide data that could support future health policy decision-making in the region.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Research Institute at INECO Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Luciano A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Sposato
authors.forename: Mariano L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Altamirano
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borrego Guerrero
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.forename: Maximiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Martino
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Valery L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Feigin
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Funaro
authors.forename: María E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gradillone
authors.forename: María L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.forename: Renato D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Daniel H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Mariel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louge
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maccarone
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rabinstein
authors.forename: Hernán
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morasso
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saposnik
authors.forename: Damián
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suasnabar
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Truelsen
authors.forename: Araceli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uzcudun
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Viviani
authors.forename: M Cecilia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bahit
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012107:Research Design; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: developing countries; epidemiology; hispanic; incidence; mortality; stroke