title: Recurrent ischemic stroke is associated with the burden of risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the characteristics of acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to hospital with history of prior ischemic stroke(s). We hypothesized that there is an association between the number of risk factors and prior ischemic stroke irrespective of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to Haukeland University Hospital between 2006 and 2013 were registered in the NORSTROKE database. Variables included prior ischemic stroke(s) (based on self-report and patient records), risk factors, TOAST classification, and CT and MRI findings. Comparison was made between patients with prior ischemic stroke and first-ever ischemic stroke. Multivariate analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 2697 patients were included and 461 (17.1%) had a history of prior ischemic stroke(s). Logistic regression analyses showed that prior ischemic stroke was associated with the number of risk factors, leukoaraiosis, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  History of prior ischemic stroke in patients with acute ischemic stroke was associated with the burden of risk factors, atherosclerosis, and atrial fibrillation compared to first-ever ischemic stroke. This has important implications for secondary preventive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moerch-Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nacu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Waje-Andreassen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thomassen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.|Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.|Centre for age-related medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naess
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: cerebrovascular diseases; strokes