Original scientific paper
The Secular Trend in the Incidence of Hemorrhagic Stroke in the Region of Osijek, Eastern Croatia in the Period 1988–2000 – A Hospital Based Study
D. Kadojić
B. Barac
Z. Trkanjec
M. Kadojić
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to establish the possible environmental influences in
the observed peculiar rising and falling oscillations in the numbers of hemorrhagic
stroke (HS) in Eastern Croatia (region of Osijek) during the last thirteen-years’ period
(1988–2000). In this period 1,222 HS were registered and treated. A constant increase in
the incidence of HS was observed, from 60 (in 1988) to 139 (in 1998), with an average
annual proportion of 16.5% of all stroke cases. A sharp increase in proportion of HS in
total stroke incidence was recorded during the war in Croatia (1991–1995), with a peak
incidence of 27.4% in 1993. Typical hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) was
the most common (57.1%), atypical ICH occurred in 26.4%, subarachnoid hemorrhage
(SAH) in 16.5%. Analysis of the annual number of hypertensive-ICH and SAH disclosed
peculiar rising and falling oscillations. These variations were in correlation with heavy
living conditions. During the war-period the SAH incidence sharply rose. Immediately
after the war it suddenly decreased. The authors named this phenomenon a »pool depletion
«, supposing the relatively stable proportion of the bearers of aneurysms in population.
The observed variations seem to be the consequence of the war stress and other negative
psychosocial and economic factors in post-war period, which increases the risk for
SAH and typical hypertensive-ICH through complex pathophysiological mechanisms.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
28309
URI
Publication date:
16.12.2002.
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