TIAs have high risk of stroke within three months

January 01, 0001

TIAs have high risk of stroke within three months

Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are often thought to be harbingers of later ischemic strokes. However, most studies that have sought to measure this risk did not use comparison groups. These US researchers examined the short-term and long-term relative risks of ischemic stroke associated with TIA using data from a population-based case-control study. The study looked at hypertensive patients, both men and women, ages 30 to 79, with incident ischemic stroke.

The researchers found: "The study included 1914 stroke cases and 9874 control subjects. Clinically diagnosed TIA was present in 215 (11.2%) cases and 252 (2.5%) control subjects. Analyses focused on the most recent TIA before the index date. For TIA less than 1 month before the index date, the adjusted OR for stroke was 30.4, for TIA 1 to 3 months before the index date it was 18.9, for TIA 4 to 6 months before the index date it was 3.16 and for TIA >5 years before the index date, it was 1.87."

The researchers concluded: "The relative risk of ischemic stroke was high for TIA diagnosed within the past 3 months and moderately high for TIA diagnosed greater than 5 years in the past compared with no history of clinically diagnosed TIA"

This retrospective case control study helps to determine the risk of subsequent stroke with TIA, but further prospective studies are needed.

For the full abstract, click here.

Stroke 41:239-243, February 2010 © 2010 American Heart Association
Short-Term and Long-Term Risk of Incident Ischemic Stroke After Transient Ischemic Attack. Evan L. Thacker, Kerri L. Wiggins, Kenneth M. Rice, et al.. Correspondence to: Evan L Thacker: [email protected]

Category: K. Circulatory, N. Neurological. Keywords: transient ischemic attack, stroke, ischemic stroke, hypertension, incident stroke, case-control study, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Paul Schaefer, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 19 March 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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