[Reconsideration for ischemic stroke risk factors in youth]

To explore the related ischemic stroke (IS) risk factors in youth and the importance of sleep quality in young ischemic stroke.

A total of 219 patients aged 18 to 45 years (166 males, 53 females) with an initial onset of ischemic stroke from First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University and Puyang People's Hospital during June 2011 to February 2013, were recruited as the study cases. Meanwhile 231 patients aged 46 to 80 years (170 males, 61 females) from the same hospitals were selected as the elderly control group. And 149 young persons aged 18 to 45 years undergoing normal physical examinations from the same hospitals were taken as youth control group. For all cases, their ischemic stroke related risk factors and especially the importance of sleep quality were analyzed. Prospective analyses were conducted to re-considerate the related ischemic stroke risk factors in youth.

Hypertension history, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and drinking, bad sleep quality, family history of stroke and hyperhomocysteinemia were associated with the onset of young ischemic stroke. The decreasing exposure rates were history of hypertension, smoking, poor sleep quality, hyperlipidemia, alcoholism, hyperhomocysteinemia and a family history of stroke and diabetes. In ischemic stroke young patients, bad sleep quality accounted for 55.7% and ranked third among all risk factors.

The risk factors of young ischemic stroke ranks are different with other studies. As one of the most important factors for youth ischemic stroke, poor sleep quality should not be neglected.