Abstract 3304: Trend of Stroke Incidence in Korean Population: Namwon Stroke Registry, 1998-2007

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Stroke is the second-leading cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability in South Korea. However, population studies on stroke incidence and case fatality rates have not been performed. The present study was aimed to determine the incidence of stroke in a defined population of Korea. Methods: Data were obtained from the Namwon Stroke Registry, covering approximately 100,000 residents of Namwon city, Jeonbuk province, South Korea. All patients with first-ever stroke that occurred from January 1998 to December 2007 were enrolled. Diagnostic criteria for stroke were guided by World Health Organization and all the possible neuroimaging including computed tomogram and magnetic resonance imaging were reviewed to confirm the subtypes of stroke. The age-standardized incidence rates (ASR) per 100,000 person-years for adults aged 20 yrs and more were calculated. Results: About 1229 (men: 563 and women: 666) patients were registered as the first-ever stroke during the 10 years. The mean (± SD) age was 64.1± 12.6 yrs in men and 68.5 ± 11.2 in women. The crude incidence rate (per 100,000) was 221.7 for men and 239.8 for women. The ASR was 171.3 for men and 171.5 for women. Stroke subtype-specific incidence rates were 114.1 for men and 104.2 for women for cerebral infarction, 43.8 for men and 44.1 for women for intracerebral hemorrhage and 13.0 for men and 21.1 for women for subarachnoid hemorrhage. The ASR for ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage across the two observation periods (1998-2002 and 2003-2007) has been increased in both sexes (from 110.4 to 117.7 for men and from 96.6 to 112.3 for women in ischemic stroke, and from 11.2 to 14.9 for men and from 18.8 to 23.7 for women in subarachnoid hemorrhage, respectively), while the ASR for intracerebral hemorrhage has been declined in both sexes (from 48.5 to 39.5 for men, from 54.3 to 35.1 for women, respectively). Conclusions: The incidences of ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage have been increased during the past 10 years, while that of intracerebral hemorrhage has been decreased in both sexes in the Korean population. More efforts are needed for an effective primary prevention of ischemic stroke.