RESUMO
To study the pattern of brain strokes, the major risk factor, and the medical problems associated with cerebrovascular accidents in Yemeni patients. Retrospective hospital-based study conducted in Kuwait teaching hospital in Sana'a, over a four-year period [1999-2003]. All cases admitted with stroke were diagnosed by history and clinical examination, and were then confirmed by investigation including CT scan as included in the study. The mean age of stroke patients was 59.6 years with a 62.6% male-to-female predominance. Among patients in the group aged above 45 years, the most common stroke pattern was ischemic in 72%, hemorrhagic in 25% and was undetermined in 2.5%. The most common age for stroke was the middle age group [15-44] years as the stroke was seen in 5 1.7% of them. The major associated medical conditions were hypertension [HTN] in [68.3%], cardiac diseases that account for 42.4% and diabetes mellitus [DM] in [24.4%]. Hypertension was more common in the hemorrhagic stroke presents; 82.6%, versus 61.6% in the ischemic group. Assessing the known risk factors, smoking history was positive in 42% and hyperlipidemia in 13.9%. QAT chewing habit was positive in 43.4% of the patients. QAT chewing is known to be associated with hypertension. The fatality rate was [24.2%] and it was higher in hemorrhagic stroke [28.8%], than ischemic stroke [19.7%]. This is the first study about strokes in Yemeni population highlighting that younger age sustained stroke when compared to other countries that have a predominance of ischemic over hemorrhagic type. Hypertension is the most common associated factor observed and it was more common in the hemorrhagic type. The ratio of associated diabetes and hyperlipidemia is low compared elsewhere. Whether this is related to QAT chewing or not, the issue needs to be further studied