Incidence, mortality and risk factors for stroke in the Manresa Study: 28 years of follow-up

Introduction and objectives. The information concerning stroke mortality is limited in Spain, and the information on morbidity is even scarcer similar ly to other countries. This is true also for the decrease of frequency obse rved in the last decades. The objective of this paper is to provide data in the incidence, mortality and cardiovascular risk factors associated to str oke in our surrounding through by the prolonged observation of a working po pulation. Material and methods. In the Manresa Study, which began in 1968, a cohort o f 1,059 men, from 30 to 59 years old, was followed for 28 years. We recorde d new ca ses of fatal and nonfatal stroke and the relationship between stro ke incidence and risk factors of cardiovascular disease found in the initia l examination. Results. Incidence rate for stroke was 183 x 100,000 per year, 6496 of the cases were registered after they turned 60 years of age. Mortality rate due to stroke was 88 x 100,000 per year, 91.6% of fatal cases were over 60 yea rs old. Factors associated to the stroke morbimortality incidence were age, high blood pressure and overweight. In a bivariate regression model, strok e mortality was found significantly associated to the presence of atrial fi brillation, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and tobacco smoking. Conclusions. Stroke frequency rates in the Manresa cohort are ranged at a m edium level compared to data from other general population studies. The rol e of atrial ii brillation in the stroke morbimortality has been confirmed. The associated factors, age, high blood pressure and overweight, are simila r role to that wich was found in other research studies. The priorities in the cerebrovascular disease prevention in our surroundings are discussed.