Stroke incidence, prognosis, 30-day, and 1-year case fatality rates in Matão, Brazil: a population-based prospective study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke is the main cause of death in Brazil and no prospective population-based study has been conducted in the country. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of stroke, stroke subtypes, case fatality, and prognosis after 1 year of follow-up in the city of Matão, Brazil.

METHODS: Using overlapping methods of case ascertainment, all stroke cases that occurred in the city of Matão (population, 75,053) from November 1, 2003 to October 31, 2004 were followed-up at 1 month and 1 year after the episode. Standard criteria for population-based stroke studies were followed.

RESULTS: Of 141 suspect stroke cases identified, 81 were first-ever-in-a-lifetime strokes. All patients underwent a CT scan. The crude annual incidence rate per 100,000 per year was 108 (95% CI, 85.7-134.1) and the rate adjusted for sex and age to the Segi population was 137 (95% CI, 112.0 to 166.4) per 100,000 inhabitants per year. Ischemic stroke occurred in 69 (85.2%) subjects, intracerebral hemorrhage in 11 (13.6%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage in 1 (1.2%). The 30-day case fatality rate was 18.5 and the 1-year case fatality rate was 30.9%. After 1 year of follow-up, 43% of the patients were independent in activities of daily living, 49.4% had independent gait, and 15.9% had a recurrent stroke.

CONCLUSIONS: The present results are similar to those obtained in other stroke population-based studies. Future studies in Matão will provide the opportunity to discover ways to decrease the stroke burden in Brazil.