STROKE IN THE YOUNG IN ISRAEL - INCIDENCE AND OUTCOMES

Background and Purpose Data on stroke in the young in Israel are fragm entary. To obtain an overall perspective and to assess the nature and magnitude of the problem, a study was conducted on stroke occurrence i n the young population during 1 year. Incidence and outcomes are repor ted in this communication. Methods We conducted a prospective ascertai nment of first stroke in all permanent residents of Israel aged 17 to 49 years who were referred to all acute-care hospitals in the country or died before reaching them. Results We identified 253 first stroke v ictims in the studied population; 62.8% were male. The age- and sex-ad justed incidence rate for all types of stroke was 10.36/100 000 per ye ar (males, 13.00; females, 7.71). The majority of strokes (80.6%) were cerebral infarctions, with 9.9% intracerebral hemorrhages, 7.9% subar achnoid hemorrhages, and 1.6% strokes of unspecified type. The case-fa tality rate for all types of stroke was 9.9% (mortality within the fir st 4 weeks after the event, on average 6 days). The survival rate was 95% for cerebral infarctions, 64% for intracerebral hemorrhages, and 8 0% for subarachnoid hemorrhages; 86.7% of all survivors remained with an impairment resulting in a disability. Conclusions Incidence rates w ere similar to those reported from developed Western countries. The ca se-fatality rate of 9.9% and the considerable percentage of survivors with a disability in a population al the beginning of their family, pr ofessional, and social lives indicate the magnitude of the problem.