WEEKEND AND HOLIDAY INCREASE IN THE ONSET OF ISCHEMIC STROKE IN YOUNG-WOMEN

Background and Purpose Chronobiological analyses of stroke onset may t hrow some light on the mechanisms that trigger stroke. Observations ma y generate new hypotheses for identifying significant causal relations hips. Methods In the present study, both the circadian and the weekend and holiday versus workday times of the onset of ischemic cerebral in farction were determined for 723 consecutive subjects, aged 16 to 60 y ears, who were admitted for hospital treatment in the acute phase with out any selection. Results Among young adults (16 to 40 years) and wom en, more infarctions occurred during weekends and holidays than were e xpected. Young women in particular had an increased risk for brain inf arction during weekends and holidays (odds ratio [OR], 2.14; 95% confi dence interval [CI], 1.26 to 3.63). In a multivariate analysis, age of 16 to 30 years (OR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.57 to 6.50), female sex (OR 1.71; 95% CI, 1.12 to 2.63), and recent drinking of alcohol (P<.01) were as sociated with the onset of brain infarction during weekends and holida ys, whereas current cigarette smoking was associated with the onset of brain infarction during workdays (P<.001). A morning increase in the onset of brain infarction was observed among middle-aged people during both weekends/holidays and workdays. Among young adults, however, an evening increase was also seen during weekends/holidays and workdays. Conclusions We found that young adults and women are frequently strick en by brain infarction during weekends and holidays and that the circa dian distribution of the onset of brain infarction among young adults is different from that of middle-aged people. These observations sugge st that there may be stroke-triggering activities that are associated with lifestyle.