Stroke in the young in sicily: Prevalence and clinical features

Few epidemiological reports focus on the prevalence of stroke in the young population. As part of a neuroepidemiological survey on the total population of three Sicilian municipalities, we assessed the prevalence of stroke in the young, describing the clinical features of each patient. We screened 14,832 subjects younger than 40 years with a door-to-door method and a two-phase study design. Phase 1 consisted of a questionnaire and a brief neurological examination; phase 2 was an extensive evaluation performed by a neurologist. On the prevalence day (November 1, 1987), we ascertained six cases of stroke (prevalence rate, 40.5/100,000). Three were hemorrhagic, one ischemic, and two of uncerta…