"Addressing the impact of stroke risk factors in a case control study in tertiary care hospitals": a case control study in Tertiary Care Hospitals of Peshawar, Khyber Phukhtoonkhwa (KPK) Pakistan.

Background: Stroke was the second most common cause of death worldwide in 2004, resulting in 5.7 million deaths. This case controlled study was conducted in Tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar, KPK Pakistan about common risk factors of stroke and the impact of these risk factors.

Method: Study was done at Government Tertiary Care Hospitals of Peshawar namely Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC).The hospital based case-control study included 50 cases (stroke patients) and 100 controls (non-stroke patients). This study was accomplished from 24th April 2012 to October 2012 in tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar. A proper questionnaire was used to collect data from all the cases and controls, which was recorded in the form of tables and graphs. The risk factors studied were Hypertension, Smoking, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, cardiac problems, B.M.I, diet, stress and family history of stroke. Anthropometric (weight, height, body mass index) measurements were done on all patients. For determination of association and impact of these risk factors, analyses were performed by calculation of Chi-Square test and confidence interval using SPSS version 16 program.

Results: Comparing the cases with controls, hypertension (p = 0.000), sedentary life style (p = 0.000), cardiac problems (p = 0.009), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.010), smoking (p = 0. 042) were significant risk factors whereas B.M.I (p = 0. 393), stress (p = 0.705), family history of stroke (p = 0.729), diet (p = 0.908), were not found to be statistically significant risk factors. The most significant risk factor was systemic hypertension (OR = 4.16) followed by sedentary life style (OR = 3.60), cardiac problems (OR = 2.74) diabetes (OR = 2.49) and smoking (OR = 2.05).

Conclusion: Hypertension, Smoking, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and cardiac problems have strong correlations and association with Stroke and are the major risk factors of stroke. Prevention of these risk factors can lead to decrease in the incidence of stroke. B.M.I, diet, stress and family history of stroke had no significant association.