OBJECTIVETo explore the exposed level of stroke risk factors in Fengxian county of Shanghai and the relationships between risk factors and stroke.

METHODSCommunity based populations including 10,565 individuals aged 40 years old and over were cluster sampled from Fengxian county in 2003 or 2004. Status of exposure on common risk factors such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, family history of stroke, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake were gathered while cerebral vascular hemodynamic index (CVHI) was examined, with CVHI score below 75 points as abnormal. During 2003 to 2006, 78 stroke cases occurred. The relationships between risk factors and stroke were analyzed by univariate and Cox proportional hazards regression models.

RESULTSRates of exposure regarding hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, family history of stroke, obesity (BMI > or = 28 kg/m2), smoking, drinking and CVHI score abnormal were 21.14%, 6.72%, 1.88%, 5.63%, 4.17%, 34.96%, 17.81% and 29.43%, respectively. Data from Univariate analysis indicated that relative risk (95% CI) of above-mentioned risk factors were 2.76 (1.76-4.32), 2.19 (1.16-4.14), 1.52 (0.38-6.19), 1.58 (0.69-3.62), 1.24 (0.45-3.38), 1.75 (1.12-2.73), 2.10 (1.30-3.39) and 12.72 (7.02-23.06), respectively. Results from Cox proportional hazards regression models analysis showed that cigarette smoking, CVHI score abnormal were screened into equation.

CONCLUSIONAmong all the risk factors, rate of hypertension was the highest while hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake and abnomal CVHI score had remarkable etiological correlations to stroke. Abnormal CVHI score, cigarette smoking seemed to be the independent forecasting factors related to stroke.