Classification analysis of young stroke in zhuhai city, China

Abstract

Background: The morbidity and mortality rates in young Chinese stroke patients have increased, and the appropriate classification of stroke is very important to identifying the cause, pathogenesis, severity, outcome, and preventive and therapeutic strategies. This study sought to analyse the young stroke subtype in a coastal city Zhuhai of southern China. Methods: Hospitalised young stroke patients in the two largest local hospitals were retrospectively analysed from July 2002 to July 2009. The percentage of every stroke subtype was calculated. Results: A total of 416 young stroke patients (age 18-45 years) were included. There were 225 (54.1%) cases of ischemic stroke (IS), 145 (34.9%) cases of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), 38 (9.1%) cases of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), and 8 (1.9%) cases of mixed stroke (MS). Cases of IS were divided into four groups using the OCSP criteria: 15 (6.7%) total anterior circulation infarcts (TACI), 117 (52.0%) partial anterior circulation infarcts (PACI), 61 (27.1%) lacunar infarcts (LACI ), and 32 (14.2%) posterior circulation infarcts (POCI). Cases of IS were divided into five groups using the TOAST criteria: 14 (6.2%) cases of large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA), 15 (6.7%) cases of cardioembolism (CE), 108 (48 %) cases of small-artery occlusion (SAO), 16 (7.1%) cases of stroke of other determined aetiologies (SOE), and 72 (32%) cases of stroke of undetermined aetiology (SUE). Conclusions:The results suggested that within the locality, the majority of cases of young stroke were IS and ICH, and the minority were SAH and MS; additionally, the most common IS subtypes were PACI, LACI or SAO and SUE, which could contribute to the local prevention and control of stroke.