This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 36/12/2738    most recent 01.STR.0000190907.88846.dfv1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Musolino, R. Articles by Gallitto, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Musolino, R. Articles by Gallitto, G. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Stroke Related Collections Acute Stroke Syndromes

(Stroke. 2005;36:2738.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Research Reports

First-Ever Stroke Incidence and 30-Day Case Fatality in the Sicilian Aeolian Archipelago, Italy

Rosa Musolino, MD; Paolino La Spina, MD; Salvatore Serra, MD; Paolo Postorino, MD; Salvatore Calabró, MD; Rodolfo Savica, MD; Giovanni Salemi, MD Giuseppe Gallitto, MD, PhD

From the Dipartimento di Neuroscienze (R.M., P.L., S.S., P.P., S.C., R.S., G.G.), Scienze Psichiatriche e Anestesiologiche, Cl. Neurologica I°, Policlinico Universitario di Messina, Italy; and Dipartimento di Neurologia (S.G.), Università di Palermo, Italy.

Correspondence to Rosa Musolino, Professor, Clinica Neurologica I, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina, Italy. E-mail Rosa.Musolino{at}unime.it

Background and Purpose— Not many data on stroke epidemiology come from studies on islands. This is the first report on a Mediterranean archipelago population.

Methods— Using recommended criteria, from July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2002, information was collected on first-ever stroke and 30-day case fatality in Aeolian island residents (13 431).

Results— The overall crude incidence rate was 154 of 100 000 (95% CI, 118 to 197; 128 in men and 180 in women) or 180, 154, and 87, if adjusted to the Italian, European, and world populations, respectively. The 30-day case fatality rate was 24.2% (95% CI, 14.22 to 36.75).

Conclusions— Besides genetic or dietary factors, our results may reflect local, limited possibilities of diagnosis and management for stroke patients.

Key Words: epidemiology • incidence • stroke