EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY OF RUPTURED INTRACRANIAL ANEURYSMS IN THE SAGUENAY-LAC-SAINT-JEAN REGION (QUEBEC, CANADA)

Background: Using a population-based register of the Saguenay-Lac-Sain t-Jean region (Quebec, Canada), tile genealogical reconstruction of 53 3 individuals with intracranial aneurysm (IA) showed a familial aggreg ation (the presence of aneurysm in two or more first- to third-degree relatives) For 159 (29.8%) of them, this proportion is much higher tha n reported elsewhere. Objective: As part of an ongoing project to asse ss a genetic predisposition to intracranial aneurysms in the Saguenay- Lac-Saint-Jean population, the objective oi the present study was to d etermine whether age-specific rates of ruptured cerebral aneurysms wer e higher than in other populations, Design: A retrospective study of c ases of proven ruptured IAs which were hospitalized during the 1973 to 1992 period was conducted. Age-adjusted rates were computed and compa red to those reported in the Helsinki population, Results: Wa identifi ed 412 cases of ruptured aneurysms, The age-adjusted incidence rate wa s 7.2/100,000/year (6.2 for men, 8.1 for women), which is similar to t he incidence rates reported in other studies. Although the mean age at time of rupture was younger (46.6 years +/- 13.8) than usually report ed, no increase in age-specific incidence rates tvas detected, Conclus ions: The results of this epidemiological study neither support nor re ject the hypothesis of a genetic predisposition to intracranial aneury sms in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean population.