This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 37/2/544    most recent 01.STR.0000198879.11072.f2v1 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 HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Floßmann, E. Articles by Rothwell, P. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Floßmann, E. Articles by Rothwell, P. M. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Stroke Transient Ischemic Attack Related Collections Genetics of Stroke Risk Factors for Stroke Transient Ischemic Attacks Genetics of cardiovascular disease

(Stroke. 2006;37:544.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Research Reports

Family History of Stroke Does Not Predict Risk of Stroke After Transient Ischemic Attack

From the Stroke Prevention Research Unit, University Department of Clinical Neurology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HE, United Kingdom.

Correspondence to Professor P.M. Rothwell, Stroke Prevention Research Unit, University Department of Clinical Neurology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HE, United Kingdom. E-mail peter.rothwell{at}clneuro.ox.ac.uk

Background and Purpose— Animal models suggest a genetic contribution to cerebral susceptibility to ischemia. Family history of stroke (FHx_stroke) is a risk factor for ischemic stroke, but there is significant confounding by heritability of hypertension and other intermediate phenotypes, and it is uncertain whether genetic factors have a direct independent influence on cerebral susceptibility to ischemia in man.

Methods— We related detailed FHx_stroke to baseline characteristics and subsequent risk of stroke in 2 population-based incidence studies and a consecutive hospital-referred series of patients with recent transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Results— In none of the cohorts or the pooled data (757 patients; 5515 patient years follow-up; 200 ischemic strokes; 126 myocardial infarctions [MIs]) did FHx_stroke predict ischemic stroke (odds ratio [OR], 0.87; 95% CI, 0.57 to 1.32). No associations were revealed by analyses stratified by age or hypertension in the proband, FHx_stroke in parents versus siblings, number of affected relatives, or their age at stroke. FHx_stroke was unrelated to presence of ischemic lesions on baseline computed tomography (OR, 0.96; 0.52 to 1.76) or risk of MI during follow-up. There was no bias attributable to any relationship between FHx_stroke and risk factor control or medication.

Conclusions— Family history of stroke does not predict risk of ischemic stroke after TIA.

Key Words: heredity • prognosis • stroke, ischemic • transient ischemic attack

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Minerva BMJ, February 11, 2006; 332(7537): 372 - 372. [Full Text] [PDF]