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Cerebrovascular risk factors and stroke subtypes: differences between ethnic groups.
C Hajat1, R Dundas, J A Stewart
1Public Health Sciences, London, UK. cother.hajat@kcl.ac.uk
Stroke
|January 4, 2001
Summary
Cerebrovascular risk factors differ between ethnic groups in the UK. While physiological factors are similar to US Black populations, behavioral factors vary, impacting stroke prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The excess stroke risk in Black populations is not fully explained by demographics.
- Cerebrovascular risk factor data for UK Black stroke patients is limited.
- Previous studies focused on stroke subtypes, not clinical classifications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine cerebrovascular risk factor prevalence in South London first-ever stroke patients.
- To analyze the relationship between risk factors, ethnicity, and Bamford stroke subtypes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 1254 first-ever stroke patients from the South London Community Stroke Register (1995-1998).
- Categorization of patients by ethnicity: White (79.3%), Black (16.2%), Other (4.1%).
Main Results:
- Increasing age and prior cerebrovascular disease predicted infarct over hemorrhage.
- Atrial fibrillation was linked to non-lacunar and anterior circulation infarcts.
- Black stroke patients had less atrial fibrillation, alcohol excess, and smoking history, but higher rates of hypertension and diabetes.
Conclusions:
- UK Black population's physiological risk factors resemble US Black populations, but behavioral factors differ.
- Ethnic variations in risk factors necessitate tailored secondary stroke prevention in the UK.
- Bamford clinical subtypes show limited association with risk factors; etiological classifications may be more informative.