OBJECTIVETo analyze the prevalence and onset of age of stroke in Chinese adults aged 35 years old and above.

METHODSData from the 2002 National Nutrition and Health Survey was used to analyze the prevalence of stroke by age, sex, regions, and the differences of onset of age of stroke among the alive patients.

RESULTStandardized prevalence of stroke in Chinese adults aged 35 years old and above was 1111.5 per 100,000, 1258.9 per 100,000 in male which was higher than female (959.3 per 100,000). The prevalence of stroke in urban (1544.8 per 100.000) was higher than that in rural (758.1 per 100,000). The standardized prevalence of stroke in the north (1479.3 per 100,000) was significantly higher than that in the south (719.6 per 100,000). The standardized prevalence of stroke in eastern, central and western region was 1469.0 per 100,000, 1085.4 per 100,000, 614.9 per 100,000, respectively. It is estimated that there were 5.627 million patients with stroke aged 35 years old and above in China in 2002. The age at onset of stroke in the alive patients was skewed distribution. Median was 60 years old. The first incidence of stroke within 60-age group accounted for 32.4%. The age at onset of stroke was no significantly different between male (60 years old, chi(2) = 0.00, P > 0.05) and female (60 years old). The median of the age at onset of stroke (61 years old) in urban was higher than that in rural (58 years old, chi(2) = 17.34, P < 0.01). The median in eastern region was higher than that in central and western regions (57 years old, chi(2) = 12.92, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of stroke was significant different by sex and regions. Among the alive patients, more than half of their first incidence of stroke were before the age of sixties.