OBJECTIVETo evaluate the risk factors of brain stroke among < or = 45 years old in China.

METHODSCollection of all 6 305 stroke patients aged < or = 45, 2 359 cases checked on the spots, and in which 1 988 cases aged 35 - 45 group. Control group was chosen with same age normal people to analyse the risk factors of brain stroke (chi(2)).

RESULTSPatients aged < or = 45 taking up 9.77% in all the stroke patients and most of them were ischemic stroke (63.6%). Male patients took up 72.7%, with main risk factors hypertension, smoking and drinking, higher than the female ones (P < 0.05). The mortality was 2.5% with main cause of death as brain hernia. Risk factors of stroke, such as hypertension, were significant higher in patients than in controls.

CONCLUSIONSIn China, the morbidity of stroke patients aged < or = 45 took up 9.77% in all of stroke patients with majority seem in ischemic stroke and male patients. Hypertension, smoking and drinking were main risk factors for male patients. The morbidity of younger aged stroke tended to increase with as the increase of age, and focused on aged 40 - 45 group (62.4%). Mortality was 2.5%, and the cause of death was brain hernia. Most of the risk factors in patient group were greatly higher than in controls. The order of risk factors were hypertension (41.0%), smoking (38.8%), drinking (38.3%), prior stroke (14.9%), heart disease (7.2%), diabetes (5.2%) and hyperlipidemia (4.2%).