Publication:

Study of risk factors associated with stroke patients admitted in tertiary care hospital: a case control study

Background Stroke, a major non-communicable disease, is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability worldwide. Stroke is multifactorial, with modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol use. Identifying these risk factors is essential for targeted prevention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the association of various risk factors with stroke among patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital and to determine the strength of association specifically with ischemic stroke.

Methods A hospital-based case-control study was conducted from March 2020 to February 2022 in the Medicine wards and ICU of a tertiary care hospital. A total of 176 stroke cases and 176 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Data on socio-demographics, lifestyle factors, medical history, and anthropometric measurements were collected using a pretested questionnaire.

Results Physical inactivity (aOR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.01-3.51; p = 0.047) and abnormal waist-hip ratio (aOR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.34-0.82; p = 0.005) were independently associated with stroke on multivariable analysis. In univariate analysis, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, dyslipidaemia, and positive family history of stroke or other non-communicable diseases showed significant associations with stroke.

Conclusions Ischemic stroke was the most common subtype in this study. Physical inactivity and abnormal waist–hip ratio were independently associated with stroke, while tobacco use, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and family history showed significant univariate associations.