A STUDY OF CLINICAL PROFILE OF STROKE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO RISK FACTORS

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Stroke is a complex disease in which environmental and genetic factors make about equal contributions to the etiology. Etiology can vary in different population due to differences in lifestyle, dietary habits and variations in the gene pool. Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and smoking have been identified as major risk factors. Many of the risk factors for stroke are preventable or controllable. The present study aims at studying various clinical presentations of stroke and evaluating the frequency of association of various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors in stroke. METHODOLOGY: This study was done at Sri Siddhartha Medical College (SSMC) Hospital, Tumkur over a period of 2 years. Total number of patients enrolled was 100. Patients were selected and excluded as per our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Informed consent was obtained. Clinical profile of each patient was recorded, analyzed and compared with other similar studies. Number of patients with each risk factor and their respective percentage was calculated. The data was compared with the studies carried out worldwide and in the Indian subcontinent and noted for any differences in the association of risk factors. RESULT: Between Sep 2012 and Aug 2014, 100 patients admitted with stroke at Sri Siddhartha Medical College Hospital, Tumkur were randomly selected. The male to female ratio was 1.94: 1(n = 100, males 66: females 34). The clinical profile of stroke found in this study was comparable to various Indian and international studies. Patients were aged between 28 and 85 years. Mean age was 63.6years. Hemiparesis was the presentation in 92%. Four percent presented with monoparesis of upper limb. Imaging showed infarct in 94% and hemorrhage in 6%. The commonest modifiable risk factor in our study was dyslipidemia in 79% of patients. Hypertension was present in 65% patients. Smoking was the third common modifiable risk factor in our patients i. e. 53%. Diabetes mellitus which is an established risk factor was found in 34% patients. CONCLUSION: Stroke being one of the most common cerebrovascular diseases has drawn attention of researchers all over the world. Targeting the risk factors for preventing cerebrovascular accidents in the first place will help in reducing the burden of this often disabling disease. In this study carried out at SSMC Hospital, Tumkur the clinical profile of stroke and association of risk factors studied were comparable to various studies conducted worldwide and in the Indian subcontinent.