The Christchurch earthquake stroke incidence study

Abstract

Since the acceptance of our paper, “The Christchurch earthquake stroke incidence study” [ [1] Wu T.Y. Cheung J.S Cole D. et al. The Christchurch earthquake stroke incidence study. J Clin Neurosci. 2014; 21: 412-415 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (6) Google Scholar ] for publication in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, Omama et al. have published a study on the effect of tsunami from the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 on stroke incidence in the Iawate Prefecture. They retrospectively examined the hospital records of stroke patients over a 24 week period from 2 months before to 4 months after the disaster and calculated the standard incidence ratio (SIR) in 4 week blocks according to stroke subtype, sex, age group and flood damage. The results were compared with the SIR in the three previous years. They found a significant increase for stroke in the first 4 week period after the earthquake, SIR 1.2 (range, 1.00–1.40, p = 0.028). The most dramatic increase in stroke incidence was seen in elderly men ⩾75 years of age who resided in high flooding areas where the SIR was 2.41 (range, 1.49–3.34, p < 0.001). By contrast, there was no increase in stroke incidence seen in earthquake-affected areas where there was no or low flooding (SIR 1.04 [range, 0.78–1.31], p = 0.75). The authors concluded that “the influence of the disaster on cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases was thought to be mainly due to the degree of destructive damage to the living environment” [ [2] Omama S. Yoshida Y. Ogasawara K. et al. Influence of the great East Japan earthquake and Tsunami 2011 on occurrence of cerebrovascular diseases in Iwate, Japan. Stroke. 2013; 44: 1518-1524 Crossref PubMed Scopus (42) Google Scholar ]. Overall, these findings are consistent with the negative result from our own study of stroke incidence and the Christchurch earthquake as access to emergency hospital services and medical supply was intact, and is likely to have prevented a substantial rise in the risk of stroke due to poor risk factor control following the earthquake. The Christchurch earthquake stroke incidence studyJournal of Clinical NeuroscienceVol. 21Issue 3PreviewWe examined the impact of major earthquakes on acute stroke admissions by a retrospective review of stroke admissions in the 6 weeks following the 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011 earthquakes. The control period was the corresponding 6 weeks in the previous year. In the 6 weeks following the September 2010 earthquake there were 97 acute stroke admissions, with 79 (81.4%) ischaemic infarctions. This was similar to the 2009 control period which had 104 acute stroke admissions, of whom 80 (76.9%) had ischaemic infarction. Full-Text PDF