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BACKGROUND: In Central/Eastern European countries, cerebrovascular diseases are among the leading causes of mortality. We aimed to determine the incidence of first-ever stroke (FES) in the north-western part of Croatia. METHODS: A population-based prospective incidence study was conducted between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2009. Cases were sought from multiple overlapping sources. Incidence rates by stroke type and gender were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 1,487 events were recorded, 1,017 of which were FESs. European age-adjusted incidence rates (per 100,000 population) were: total FESs 223.6 women/men rate ratio (w/m RR) = 0.65 (95% CI 0.57-0.73); ischemic stroke 162.4 (w/m RR = 0.65, 0.56-0.76); intracerebral hemorrhage 28.4 (w/m RR = 0.44, 0.30-0.63); subarachnoid hemorrhage 7.2 (w/m RR = 1.18, 0.55-2.54); unknown etiology 25.5 (w/m RR = 0.78, 0.54-1.14). Adjusted incidence rates of ischemic strokes by subtype were: cardioembolic 52.9 (w/m RR = 0.77, 0.59-0.99); large-artery atherosclerosis 14.4 (w/m RR = 0.22, 0.13-0.38); small-artery occlusion 24.5 (w/m RR = 0.53, 0.37-0.77) and 'other or uncertain causes' 70.6 (w/m RR = 0.77, 0.62-0.97). Thirty-day case-fatality rate was 23.5% overall and 17.1% for ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of FES and 30-day mortality of patients with ischemic strokes in the studied population is higher than in Western European countries.
Pikija et al. (Sun,) studied this question.