Epidemiology of cerebrovascular disease in Joinville, Brazil: an institutional study

The paucity of epidemiologic data, and the previous impression of high incidence of cerebrovascular disease in Brazil, made us elaborate a prospective institutional study in Joinville, Brazil, with the objective of identifying first and recurrent episodes in stroke. This study occurred from March 1995 to March 1996. We evaluated during the first episode of stroke: incidence, mortality and fatality-case rate (in 30 days letality), frequency of risk factor, time in hospital and distribution of cerebral infarcts by pathological subtypes. In this period, 429 patients with stroke were registered, 320 with the first episode. 98% of all the patients were submited to at least one computed tomography scanning. The episodes of cerebral infarcts were divided in pathological sub-types. Results showed that the annual incidence adjusted to the age of first stroke episode was 156/100000. The distribution by diagnosis was: 73.4% for cerebral infarct, 18.4% for cerebral hemorrhage and 7.5% for subarachnoid hemorrhage. The annual standard mortality rate was 25/100000. The Fatality case global rate in 30 days was 26%. Hypertension, previous stroke and diabetes were the most frequent risk factors. Only 25% of the patients were assisted within three hours of the onset of stroke. We concluded that the incidence rate of first episode of stroke is high in institucionalized patients in Joinville, Brazil. The mortality and fatality-case rates are similar to the ones of other populations.