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Objectives: We studied the prevalence of vascular risk factors (RFs) among 385 ischaemic stroke patients ⩽60 years and 260 controls, and their association with atherosclerosis in seven vascular areas. Methods: History of cardiovascular events (CVE), hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidaemia, pack-years of smoking (PYS), alcohol, and physical inactivity were noted. Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), lipid profile, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), visceral abdominal adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue were measured. Numeric staging of atherosclerosis was done by standardized examination of seven vascular areas by right and left carotid and femoral intima-media thickness, electrocardiogram, abdominal aorta plaques, and the ankle-arm index. All results were age and sex-adjusted. Poisson regression analysis was applied. Results: At age ⩽49 years at least one RF was present in 95.6% patients versus 90.0% controls. Compared to controls, male patients and middle-aged female patients showed no significant differences. Young female patients compared to young female controls had a higher burden of RFs (94.3% vs 88.6%, p = 0.049). Poisson regression analysis combined for patients and controls, adjusted for age and sex, showed numeric staging of atherosclerosis associated with age, prior CVE, hypertension, DM, dyslipidaemia, PYS, alcohol, BMI, WHR, EAT, VAT, and an increased number of risk factors. Adjusted for all risk factors, numeric staging of atherosclerosis was associated with increasing age, hypertension, DM, PYS, and BMI. Conclusion: Vascular risk factors are highly prevalent in young- and middle-aged patients and controls, and are predictors of established atherosclerosis at study inclusion. Focus on main modifiable vascular RFs in primary prevention, and early and aggressive secondary treatment of patients are necessary to reduce further progression of atherosclerosis.

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OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to detect visual field defects (VFDs) after occipital infarction, investigate the rate of recovery and the impact of VFD upon vision-related quality of life (QoL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multicenter, prospective study including patients with MRI verified acute occipital infarction (NOR-OCCIP project). Ophthalmological examination including perimetry was performed within 2 weeks and after 6 months. Vision-related QoL was assessed by the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire 25 (VFQ-25) at one and 6 months post-stroke. RESULTS: We included 76 patients, reliable perimetry results were obtained in 66 patients (87%) at a median of 8 days after admittance and VFD were found in 52 cases (79%). Evaluation of VFD after 6 months revealed improvement in 52%. Patients with VFD had significantly lower composite score in VFQ-25 at both test points (77 vs 96, P = .001 and 87 vs 97, P = .009), in nine out of eleven subscales of VFQ-25 at 1 month and seven subscales after 6 months, including mental health, dependency, near and distance activities. Milder VFD had better results on VFQ-25 modified composite score (95 vs 74, P = .002).VFD improvement was related to improved VFQ-25 modified composite score (9.6 vs 0.8, P = .018). About 10% of patients with VFD reported driving 1 month post-stroke and 38% after 6 months. CONCLUSION: VFD substantially reduces multiple aspects of vision-related QoL. Severity of VFD is related to QoL and VFD improvement results in better QoL. Neglecting visual impairment after stroke may result in deterioration of rehabilitation efforts. Driving post-stroke deserves particular attention.

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Positive family history (FH+) of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a risk factor for own CVD. We aimed to analyze the effect of different types of FH (stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), peripheral artery disease (PAD) on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in young and middle-aged ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: First-degree FH of CVD was assessed in ischemic stroke patients ≤ 60y using a standardized interview. Carotid ultrasound was performed and far wall cIMT in three carotid artery segments was registered, representing the common carotid (CCA-IMT), carotid bifurcation (BIF-IMT) and the internal carotid artery (ICA-IMT). Measurements were compared between FH+ and FH negative groups and stepwise backward regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with increased cIMT. RESULTS: During the study period 382 patients were enrolled, of which 262 (68%) were males and 233 (61%) reported FH of CVD. Regression analyses adjusting for risk factors revealed age as the most important predictor of cIMT in all segments. The association between FH+ and cIMT was modified by age (p = 0.014) and was significant only regarding ICA-IMT. FH+ was associated with increased ICA-IMT in patients aged < 45y (p = 0.001), but not in patients ≥ 45y (p = 0.083). The association with ICA-IMT was present for a FH of stroke (p = 0.034), but not a FH+ of CHD or PAD. CONCLUSIONS: FH of stroke is associated with higher ICA-IMT in young ischemic stroke patients. Subtyping of cardiovascular FH is important to investigate heredity in young ischemic stroke patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01597453.

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BACKGROUND: Family history (FH) is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially coronary artery disease (CAD). The impact on risk of stroke is less clear. This study investigated young and middle-aged ischemic stroke patients' knowledge on FH of stroke, CAD, and peripheral artery disease (PAD) with a special regard to sex differences. METHODS: From September 2010 to February 2014, all ischemic stroke patients aged 15-60 years were prospectively included in the Norwegian Stroke in the Young Study (NOR-SYS). FH of stroke, CAD and PAD in offspring, siblings, parents, and grandparents was assessed using a standardized face-to-face interview. In addition to 'yes' and 'no', the optional reply 'don't know' was included to improve accuracy. McNemar's test was used to compare paired proportions, i.e. FH in male vs. female relatives. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to test the influence of patient sex on FH reporting and to adjust for possible confounding factors. RESULTS: Altogether 257 patients were included. Mean age was 49.5 years and 68.1% were males. FH of cardiovascular disease was reported by 59% of patients. When asked about FH of stroke, 48 (18.7%) and 46 (17.9%) patients reported yes, whereas 17 (6.6%) and 9 (3.5%) reported 'don't know' regarding father and mother respectively, similarly patients reported 'don't know' regarding 117 (45.5%) paternal vs. 83 (32.4%) maternal grandmothers (p < 0.001). Female patients reported less 'don't know' and were more likely to report a positive cardiovascular FH than males (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.5 to 7.7; p = 0.004). Patients had more detailed knowledge about CAD than stroke in fathers (p < 0.001), mothers (p < 0.001) and siblings (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Young and middle-aged stroke patients reported a high FH burden of cardiovascular disease. Females are more likely to report a positive FH than males. Detailed knowledge on FH was best for CAD. Our results suggest sex has a big impact on FH knowledge. Females have more knowledge of FH than males and knowledge is better for relatives with a female than male linkage. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov , unique identifier: NCT01597453 .

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