Recurrence Rate of Ischemic Stroke: A Single Center Experience

Background: Stroke is a key public health problem worldwide, with the majority of patients suffering from ischemic strokes.Recurrent ischemic stroke, with its concordant high morbidity and mortality, is therefore a principal target of secondary prevention.This study aims to present the rates of ischemic stroke recurrence and its possible determinants.Methods: This is a hospital-based retrospective cohort study of patients seen at our Center diagnosed with ischemic stroke from 2010 to 2012.Data on consecutive patients who had a follow-up of at least three years were collected.The annual incidence of stroke recurrence was determined during the 1 st , 2 nd and 3 rd year of consultation.Multivariable logistic regression was employed to determine the predictors of ischemic stroke recurrence.Results: The study comprised 1155 first-onset ischemic stroke patients with a total of 280 recurrences recorded over the 3-year period, 24.2% (95% CI, 21.8-26.7).The incidence of recurrence was highest during the first year after index stroke, 12.8% (95% CI, 11.0-14.8)with a declining annual rate, 6.3% (95% CI, 5.0-7.9)during the second year and 5.1% (95% CI, 4.0-6.5)during the third year after the index stroke.Multivariate logistic regression of the different risk factors showed no significant association with ischemic stroke recurrence. Conclusion:The 1155 first onset ischemic stroke patients, 12.8% had a second ischemic event within the next year, with an average of 8% annual risk for stroke recurrence over three years.Urgent initiation and consistent monitoring of secondary preventive measures are extremely important to prevent stroke recurrence and improve the long-term outcome after an ischemic stroke.