Factors Associated With a High Risk of Recurrence in Patients With Transient Ischemic Attack or Minor Stroke (original) (raw)

Background and Purpose-The aim of our study was to identify factors associated with stroke recurrence after an initial minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in a prospective hospital-series. Methods-Included in the series were 689 patients with NIHSS lower than 4 at hospital admission. The end point was a new neurological event (worsening Ն4 points in the initial NIHSS was considered as recurrence) at 90 days (and additionally at 7 days). Factors based on two previous reported scores (ABCD and SPI-II) were analyzed in relation with stroke recurrence: age, duration of symptoms Ͼ1 hour, weakness, speech impairment, initial hypertension, hypertension, diabetes, coronary disease, minor stroke versus TIA, prior stroke, and heart failure. We also analyzed: gender, hyperlipidemia, severe alcohol intake (Ͼ60gr/d), current smoking habits, peripheral arterial disease, atrial fibrillation, acute lesion in initial head computed tomography, severe symptomatic extra or intracranial arterial disease (SSAD; arterial stenosis Ն70%), previous TIA, and vertebrobasilar event. Patients were also analyzed separately according to diagnosis of TIA or minor stroke.