Recurrence after first cerebral infarction in young adults
M Camerlingo1, L Casto, B Censori
1Unit of Neurology, Azienda Ospedaliera Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy. claffra@tin.it
Insights
Recurrent stroke is a significant issue for young adults under 45. Specific stroke types and subtypes increase the risk of stroke recurrence in this age group.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Stroke recurrence is a concern in young adults (16-45 years).
- Understanding risk factors for recurrent stroke in this demographic is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the recurrence rate of cerebral infarction in young adults.
- To identify factors associated with stroke recurrence in patients aged 16-45 years.
Main Methods:
- A consecutive series of 135 young adult stroke patients (aged 16-45) were followed.
- Patients underwent comprehensive diagnostic protocols including angiographic, cardiological, and haematological investigations.
- Follow-up occurred at 6-month intervals for up to 10 years.
Main Results:
- The annual incidence of ischemic stroke recurrence was 2.26% (11.1% over the follow-up period).
- Recurrence was significantly associated with Partial Anterior Circulation Syndrome and haematological stroke subtypes.
- No significant association was found with age or traditional risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Stroke recurrence represents a major clinical problem in young adults.
- Specific clinical syndromes and etiological subtypes of the first stroke may increase recurrence risk.
Objective:
We have investigated recurrence of stroke in a consecutive series of young adults, aged 16 to 45 years, after a first cerebral infarction.
Methods:
From January 1, 1988 to December 31, 1996 we submitted those patients to a diagnostic protocol including angiographic, cardiological, and haematological investigations. The patients were followed at 6 month intervals up to December 31, 1998.
Results:
We have evaluated and followed-up 135 patients, 71 men and 64 women, who were 3.99% of all the admitted stroke patients. At 12 months after stroke, 83 patients had returned to work, 40 patients were mildly to moderately handicapped, 4 were using a wheel-chair, and 8 had died. Follow-up was 26 to 123 months (mean 68.8). Recurrence of stroke, always of ischaemic nature, was seen in 15 patients (11.1%), 3 to 76 months after the first stroke (mean 27.4), for an annual incidence of 2.26%. Recurrence was significantly associated with Partial Anterior Circulation Syndrome and Haematological subtype of first stroke (respectively, P = 0.0209 and P = 0.0135, chi2 test), but not with age (< or = or > 35 years) or risk factors. Repetition of stroke was never fatal, but it caused heavy disability in 13 patients, 8 of whom had completely or nearly completely recovered after the first event.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest that recurrence of stroke is a major clinical problem also for the patients aged less than 45 years and that it might be more frequent with specific clinical syndromes and etiologic subtypes of first stroke.
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