Standard method for developing stroke registers in low-income and middle-income countries: experiences from a feasibility study of a stepwise approach to stroke surveillance (STEPS Stroke).

Background: Stroke is a leading global cause of death, with an estimated 5.8 million fatal events in 2005, two-thirds of which happened in low-income and middle-income countries. In these regions, epidemiological methods to establish hospital-based stroke registers for clinical audit or studies to estimate incidence are scarce.