Risk factors for ischaemic and intracerebral haemorrhagic stroke: A study from north eastern India

Abstract

Background: Several risk factors like age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, smoking and alcohol intake have been previously been associated with stroke. However, differences have been postulated between the risk factors and the type of stroke Materials and Methods: Prospective observational study in 200 patients with stroke aged ? 18years of age. Patients with meningitis, head trauma, intracranial abscess and tumour were excluded. Routine biochemical, haematological and radiological investigations were done in all cases. The qualitative variables were analysed by chi-square tests. The quantitative variables were analysed by using paired t test and a p value of less than 0.05 was taken as significant. Results: The mean age was 60.912.9 years with a male to female ratio of 3.16:1. 52% of the stroke patients were haemorrhagic stroke while the rest 48 % were ischaemic stroke. The overall mean age of infarct cases was more than that of cases with haemorrhage (62.711.8 vs 59 13.6). Hypertension was found to be associated significantly higher in haemorrhagic stroke than ischaemic stroke (p 0.01). Diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidaemia was significantly more common among infarct cases than haemorrhagic cases (p 0.01) Conclusion: Overall mean age is higher in ischaemic stroke than haemorrhagic stroke. Hypertension was more commonly associated with haemorrhagic stroke while diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia were more commonly associated ischaemic strokes.