Stroke registry in Malmö, Sweden.

A stroke registry covering the city of Malmo, Sweden (population 232,000) was started in January of 1989 to prospectively follow up stroke incidence, recurrence, and fatality rates.Patients with presumed stroke were interviewed within 1 week after admission to the hospital, and their medical records were examined. Continuous validation against hospital diagnosis showed well over 90% of all stroke cases in Malmo to have been included.Incidence rates per 100,000 residents were 300 for all stroke events and 225 for first-ever stroke, lower than those reported from other studies. The distribution of stroke diagnostic categories was 3% subarachnoid hemorrhage, 10% intracerebral hemorrhage, 50% cerebral infarction, and 38% unspecified stroke. The diagnosis was based on computed tomography in 51% of first-ever stroke cases. Median age was 73.1 years for men and 79.7 years for women. Incidence rates for all stroke diagnostic categories except subarachnoid hemorrhage increased with age. Prior stroke, hypertension,...