Epidemiology of stroke in the south west of Iran: A cohort study

Background: Stroke is the second common cause of death in the world. It imposes a huge amount of economic and social burden on individuals, families, communities, and governments. There are significant regional differences in stroke incidence even within countries. The last information about stroke incidence in Bushehr is related to ۲۰۰۲-۲۰۰۳. Life expectancy is increasing and as a result burden of non-communicable diseases including stroke is in progress, so the current study was conducted to obtain a better picture of stroke incidence in Bushehr district, Iran, in ۲۰۱۳-۲۰۱۴.Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, hospital files of all the individuals admitted as stroke or transient ischemic attack in the Persian Gulf and Salman-e-Farsi Hospitals in ۲۰۱۳-۲۰۱۴ were studied. A list of patients with diagnosis of stroke was prepared using International Classification of Disease ۱۰. Bushehr middle year population was estimated based on the census (۲۰۱۱-۲۰۱۲). Age standardization was done according to World Health Organization standard population. Incidence correction was done using sensitivity analysis.Results: In the study year, ۲۵۵ cases of stroke were registered in two hospitals. The mean age was ۶۵.۳±۱۴.۱۴ years. Crude and standardized incidence of stroke were ۹۲.۷۱ (۸۱.۶۹-۱۰۴.۸۱) and ۱۹۸.۳ (۱۸۹.۶۸-۲۰۷.۲۲) per ۱۰۰,۰۰۰, respectively. Standardized incidence was higher in men as compared with women (P<۰.۰۰۱). Conclusion: Stroke incidence is high, especially in men, in Bushehr district. A population-based stroke registry is necessary for more accurate estimation of the rates over time.