PREVALENCE OF STROKE - A DOOR-TO-DOOR SURVEY IN 3 SICILIAN MUNICIPALITIES

As part of a door-to-door survey, we screened for stroke among the inh abitants of three Sicilian municipalities (n = 24,496 as of November 1 , 1987). Neurologists then investigated those subjects suspected to ha ve had a stroke. Diagnoses of first-ever strokes were based on specifi ed criteria and were reviewed by an adjudication panel. We found 189 s ubjects who had experienced at least one completed stroke (180 definit e, 9 possible); 15 strokes were hemorrhagic, 71 ischemic, and 103 unce rtain. The prevalence (cases/100,000) was 771.6 in the total populatio n and 1,893.6 in those aged 40 years or over. The prevalence increased steeply with age, was higher in men between 60 and 79 years, but was higher in women thereafter. Age-specific figures were similar in the t hree study municipalities. Although all first-ever strokes had been pr eviously diagnosed, 40% of the subjects had not been hospitalized for this condition.