[Risk factors study of ischemic stroke in young adults in Southwest China].

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the etiology and risk factors of ischemic stroke in young adults in Southwest of China.

METHODS

This study retrospectively reviewed the 109 records of all 18-45 year-old patients who were admitted to the West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2008 to 2010. Etiology was classified by Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria. We surveyed the risk factors of all the patients.

RESULTS

Of 109 patients (male female 1.7 : 1), the mean age of onset was (37.9 +/- 6.3) years. An increased occurrence of ischemic stroke was found in the older age group, which was significant in 40-45 years. Regarding stroke subtype, large-artery atherosclerosis was diagnosed in 57% of cases, cardioembolism in 18%, other determined etiology in 15%, stroke of small-vessel occlusion in 5.5%, and undetermined etiology in 4.5%. The older the age of the patients was, the high proportion of large-artery atherosclerosis was, and significant difference was found between each two age group (P < 0.05). In cardioembolism, the most common etiology was rheumatic heart disease with mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation (40%). In stroke of other determined etiology, the most common etiology was dissection. The most common dissection was occurring in the vertebral system (87.5%). The most common risk factors were hypertension (36%), smoking (33%), and hypertriglyceridemia (31%).

CONCLUSION

Our study found that large-artery atherosclerosis was the most common etiology of ischemic stroke in young adults in Southwest of China, and the most common risk factors were hypertension, smoking and hypertriglyceridemia.