Direct medical cost or acute care of stroke accounted for a major component of cost of stroke. Poor outcome, length of hospital stay, and higher income were the cost driving factors. The socioeconomic impact on the family decreased at follow up probably due to joint family system.

Background:Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is a common cause of epilepsy in developing countries. In order to plan and implement prevention programs, it is essential to study the awareness of NCC.Objective:To study the awareness of NCC among patients with NCC and compare with age- and gender-matched controls without NCC.Setting and Design:Hospital based case–control study.Materials and Methods:Two hundred and fourteen subjects were studied (109 NCC patients, and 105 age- and gender-matched controls without NCC). The participants were selected from neurology and medical wards of a tertiary referral hospital in northwest India. They were interviewed by trained medical interns using a questionnaire.Results:64.2% of the NCC patients and 19% of control group had heard about NCC (P < 0.001). Knowledge regarding organ affected by NCC in the NCC group was 61.4% and in the control group was 80% (P = 0.09). Only 12.9% of the NCC group and none in the control group identified tape worm as a causative agent for NCC (P = 0.092). Negative effects of NCC on marriage and social life were more often cited by the NCC group but in the control group it was towards education (P = 0.004).Conclusions:The awareness of NCC was poor in both the groups. Educational programs are needed to improve the awareness about NCC among the patients and the public.

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine incidence, risk factors, and short-term outcomes of young stroke in Ludhiana city, Northwest India. Methods: Data were collected on first-ever stroke in patients of age ≥18 years, from hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, general practitioners, and municipal corporation during March 2011–March 2013 in Ludhiana city, using the World Health Organization Stepwise Approach to Surveillance (WHO STEPS). Outcome was documented using the modified Rankin Scale at 28 days. Results: Of 2948 patients, 700 (24%) were in the age group 18–49 years. Annual incidence in this age group was 46/100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 41–51/100,000). Hypertension (84%), diabetes mellitus (48%), and atrial fibrillation (AF) (12%) were found more common in >49 years age group, as compared with 18–49 years age group. Drug abuse (8.7% vs. 6% in age >49 years; P = 0.04) and tobacco intake (8.7% vs. 5.6% in age >49 years; P = 0.02) was more common in young people, that is, 18–49 years age group in comparison to older patients, >49 years age group. Recovery was better in younger subjects (60% vs. 46% in age >49 years P < 0.001). In a multivariable analysis, younger people were more often literate (odds ratio [OR] 2.52; 95% CI, 1.68–3.77; P < 0.001), employed (OR 3.92; 95% CI, 2.20–5.21; P < 0.001), and 374 (60%) had good clinical outcome, modified Rankin Scale <2 at 28 days follow-up as compared with 938 (46%) older patients (OR 1.52; 95% CI, 1.15–2.00; P = 0.003). Conclusion: Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, drug addiction, and tobacco intake were significantly associated with young stroke. Outcome was also better in younger people.

Background: Normative data for autonomic function tests (AFT) is not available for Indian population. Objective: The aim of the study was to establish normative data in AFT and its correlation with age, gender, and body mass index. Material and Methods: The study was done on 254 healthy subjects of age ≥18 years. All AFTs were done in autonomic laboratory at the Department of Neurology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. Cardiovascular tests (heart rate response to deep breathing, HR changes in Valsalva maneuver and head-up tilt test (HUT)) and quantitative sudomotor axon reflex testing (QSART) were performed in all the subjects. Fifty subjects underwent thermoregulatory sweat test (TST). Results: The mean age (SD) of study participants was 43 (16.0) years (range 20–84), and 129 (50.8%) were men. The normative value range (2.5–97.5 percentile) for HR difference, E: I ratio, and Valsalva ratio (VR) was 3.5–47.0, 1.05–1.93, and 1.11–2.64, respectively, for all the subjects. HR difference and E: I ratio showed an significant inverse relation with age ( r = -0.623 and r = -0.584, respectively). VR also showed an inverse relation with age ( r = -0.575, P =< 0.001), and female had a lower value than male (1.63 vs 1.78, P =< 0.001). In QSART, mean (SD) sweat volume was higher in males 0.630 (0.230) compared to females 0.513 (0.132) for all sites, P < 0.001, and similar trend was noticed for sweat area in TST. Discussion and Conclusion: Normative AFT data has been established for Indian population for the first time. The values are comparable to previously published studies.