Incidence of first stroke and ethnic differences in stroke pattern in Bradford, UK: Bradford Stroke Study

Background Information on ethnic disparities in stroke between White and Pakistani population in Europe is scarce. Bradford District has the largest proportion of Pakistani people in England; this provides a unique opportunity to study the difference in stroke between the two major ethnic groups. Aim To determine the first-ever-stroke incidence and examine the disparities in stroke patterns between Whites and Pakistanis in Bradford. Methods Prospective 12 months study consisting of 273,327 adults (≥18 years) residents. Stroke cases were identified by multiple overlapping approaches. Results In the study period, 541 first-ever-strokes were recorded. The crude incidence rate was 198 per 100,000 person-years. Age adjusted-standardized rate to the World Health Organization world population of first-ever-stroke is 155 and 101 per 100,000 person-years in Pakistanis and Whites respectively. Four hundred and thirty-eight patients (81%) were Whites, 83 (15.3%) were Pakistanis, 11 (2%) were Indian and Bangladeshis, and 9 (1.7%) were of other ethnic origin. Pakistanis were significantly younger and had more obesity (p = 0.049), and diabetes mellitus (DM) (p =