ABSTRACT
Stroke etiology in young adults and older patient differs considerably, as well as epidemiology and clinical features vary according to geographical criteria. To improve clinical management and optimize diagnostic work-up of young adults with acute cerebrovascular events, we analyzed retrospectively data of 6-year stroke unit case series. In this hospital case series study, we enrolled 145 patients with acute cerebrovascular events aged 16 to 49, consecutively admitted to a Community Hospital Hub Stroke Unit. We studied risk factors for stroke, the distribution of acute cerebrovascular events, stroke subtype, length of stay and clinical outcome: 70% of patients were admitted for acute ischemic event (45 female-F, 57 male-M), 10.5% intracranial hemorrhages (5F, 10M), 2.7% subarachnoid hemorrhage (2F, 2M), 2% venous sinus thrombosis (3F), 14.5 for acute ischemic attack (12F, 9M). Among ischemic stroke patients, the etiology was as follows: atherothrombosis 29.4%, cardioembolism 19.6%, arterial dissection 13.7%, other determined causes 8.8%, lacunar stroke 5.8%, and undetermined causes 22.54%. 15% of ischemic young patients were treated with r-TPA. The majority of patients returned home at discharge, whereas 30% needed intensive rehabilitation programme to regain independence in the activity of daily living. Dedicated health care programme targeting prevention and optimizing treatment of acute cerebrovascular events in young adults are desirable to improve prognosis among this socioeconomically active age group.