Background and Purpose--Stroke incidence increases with increasing age and has an impact on daily living in many areas. With increasing life expectancy, old people will constitute the majority of stroke victims. We present the first stroke study focusing on very old patients in a black Caribbean population (Martinique, French West Indies).

Methods--All Martinican patients suffering from their first-ever stroke during 1 calendar year between June 1, 1998, and May 31, 1999, were included. Epidemiological, clinical, neuroimaging, management, and outcome data during the first month were collected and compared between very old patients (85 years) and patients aged <85 years.

Results--One hundred patients aged 85 years and 480 patients aged <85 years were included (sex ratio, women/men, 2.84 and 0.85, respectively; mean±SD age, 88.8±3.6 and 65.8±13.3 years, respectively). The incidence of first-ever stroke was 1.64/1000 per year in the Martinique population and 18.2/1000 per year in patients aged 85 years. Elderly patients showed a significantly lower proportion of diabetes (19.1% versus 32.2%; P=0.012) and smoking (0% versus 8.4%; P=0.004) and a higher proportion of peripheral artery disease (23.4% versus 11.4%; P=0.002). Prevalence of hypertension was identical in the 2 groups (70%). There were no significant differences in stroke types or ischemic stroke subtypes between the 2 groups. Active medical care was poorer in older than in younger patients (hospitalization rate, 89% versus 94.4%; admission to neurological ward, 8% versus 23.8%; rate of performance of a CT scan, 82% versus 94%). The 30-day case fatality rate was approximately twice as high in elderly patients (31% versus 16.7%; P=0.0009), and disability (Rankin Scale score 3) in survivors was markedly higher (78% versus 48%; P<0.0001).

Conclusions--In Martinique, the incidence of first-ever stroke in very old black Caribbean patients seems similar to that in white patients. They have the same pathological type and subtype of stroke as do young patients. The poorer stroke outcome found in the elderly during the first month may be related in large part to less active management than in younger patients.