Community-Based Study of Stroke Incidence in the Valley of Aosta, Italy

The purpose of our study was to determine the incidence of stroke, case-fatality rate and disability at 1 year in the Valley of Aosta (Italy) in the years 2004 and 2005. All suspected strokes occurring between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2005, in the resident population of the Valley of Aosta were identified according to the WHO criteria for stroke and included in a stroke registry (Cerebrovascular Aosta Registry, CARe) after revision by a clinical panel. Multiple overlapping sources were used to ascertain the cases. In the study period, 553 incident strokes were registered. A CT scan was performed in 94.2% of cases. The crude annual incidence rate was 223 (95% CI 197–249) per 100,000 inhabitants. After age and sex adjustment to the ‘European’ population, the stroke incidence rate was 126 (95% CI 106–146). In the 1-year follow-up, only a small number of patients with a first-ever stroke in their life time suffered a new event. Compared with the previous study performed in our region (Valley of Aosta) in 1989, a marked decline in the incidence rate was seen after adjustment to the ‘European’ population, and the 28-day case-fatality rate declined dramatically between 1989 and 2004–2005.