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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Electroencephalography Network Indices as Biomarkers of Upper Limb Impairment in Chronic Stroke
Published on: July 14, 2023
Family history of stroke and severity of neurologic deficit after stroke
J F Meschia1, L D Case, B B Worrall
1Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA. meschia.james@mayo.edu
Background:
A family history of stroke is an independent risk factor for stroke.
Objective:
To assess whether severity of neurologic deficit after stroke is associated with a family history of stroke.
Methods:
The Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study, a five-center study of first-ever symptomatic ischemic stroke, assessed case subjects prospectively for a family history of stroke-affected first-degree relatives. Certified adjudicators used the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) to determine the severity of neurologic deficit.
Results:
A total of 505 case subjects were enrolled (median age, 65 years; 55% male), with 81% enrolled within 1 week of onset of symptoms. A sibling history of stroke was associated with more severe stroke. The odds of an NIHSS score of 5 or higher were 2.0 times greater for cases with a sibling history of stroke compared with cases with no sibling history (95% CI, 1.0 to 3.9). An association of family history of stroke in parents or children with stroke severity was not detected.
Conclusions:
A sibling history of stroke increased the likelihood of a more severe stroke in the case subjects, independent of age, sex, and other potential confounding factors. Other family history characteristics were not associated with stroke severity.
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