Background: Up-to-date epidemiological stroke studies are important for healthcare planning and evaluating prevention strategies. This population-based study investigates temporal trends in stroke incidence and case-fatality in southern Sweden. Methods: First-ever stroke cases in the local catchment area of Skåne University Hospital in Lund, Sweden, between March, 2015 and February, 2016, were included from several sources, including 2 prospective hospital-based registers, retrospective screening of primary care visits, and autopsy registers. Stroke incidence and 28-day case-fatality rates were compared with data from this area obtained through similar methodology between March, 2001 and February, 2002. Results: Altogether, 456 and 413 first-ever stroke patients were identified during the earlier and later time periods respectively. The age- and sex-standardized stroke incidence rates decreased from 246 (95% CI 224–270) to 165 (95% CI 149–182) per 100,000 people. However, incidence remained unaltered among those <65 years. Early case-fatality decreased from 14 to 11% (p = 0.165). ­Conclusion: First-ever stroke incidence in southern Sweden has decreased with 33% since the beginning of this millenni­um. Incidence rates have decreased among the elderly but remain unchanged among younger age groups. Our findings warrant further studies on trends in risk factor profiles and effects of prevention strategies, and heightened focus on stroke in the young.

Preclinical studies suggest that stem cell therapy (SCT) may improve poststroke recovery, and clinical trials investigating safety are ongoing. However, knowledge about patients' attitudes to SCT in stroke is limited. We evaluated the knowledge and attitudes to this therapeutic approach as well as possible factors influencing this among stroke patients potentially suitable for SCT. Consecutive first-ever acute ischemic stroke patients aged 20-75 years with NIH stroke scale scores 1-18 were included. Exclusion criteria were severe comorbidities or infratentorial stroke. Clinical follow-up after 3-5 years assessed severity of residual stroke symptoms, cognitive function, functional status, patient-reported outcome, and comorbidity, and after receiving standardized information, the participants also completed an eight-item questionnaire on knowledge and attitudes about SCT. The relationships between clinical variables and positive attitude to SCT were assessed with logistic regression analyses. Of 108 patients included at baseline, 84 participated at follow-up and completed the questionnaire. In total, 12% had prior knowledge of SCT. When informed, 63% were positive toward it and 36% reported willingness to participate in SCT trials. Only 5%-8% expressed ethical considerations regarding different stem cell sources. Positive attitudes to SCT were associated with male gender (OR: 3.74; 95% CI: 1.45-9.61; P < 0.01) and better patient-reported outcome (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00-1.04; P < 0.05). In conclusion, stroke patients had limited prior knowledge of SCT, yet attitudes were positive among the majority after receiving standardized and neutral information. Gender and degree of stroke recovery may influence attitudes to SCT, indicating a need for targeted information to improve knowledge about SCT.

Preclinical studies suggest that stem cell therapy (SCT) may improve sensorimotor recovery after stroke. Upper extremity motor impairment (UEMI) is common after stroke, often entailing substantial disability. To evaluate the feasibility of post-stroke UEMI as a target for SCT, we examined a selected sample of stroke patients potentially suitable for SCT, aiming to assess the frequency and recovery of UEMI, as well as its relation to activity limitations and participation restrictions. Patients aged 20–75 years with first-ever ischemic stroke, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores 1–18, underwent brain diffusion-weighted MRI within 4 days of stroke onset (n = 108). Survivors were followed up after 3–5 years, including assessment with NIHSS, Fugl-Meyer assessment of upper extremity (FMA-UE), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). UEMI was defined as NIHSS arm/hand score ≥1. UEMI recovery was evaluated with change in NIHSS arm/hand scores between baseline and follow-up. Of 97 survivors, 84 were available to follow-up. Among 76 subjects (of 84) without recurrent stroke, 41 had UEMI at baseline of which 10 had residual UEMI at follow-up. The FMA-UE showed moderate-severe impairment in seven of 10 survivors with residual UEMI. UEMI was correlated to mRS (r s = 0.49, p < 0.001) and the SIS social participation domain (r s = −0.38, p = 0.001). Nearly 25% of the subjects with UEMI at baseline had residual impairment after 3–5 years, whereas about 75% showed complete recovery. Most of the subjects with residual UEMI had moderate-severe impairment, which correlated strongly to dependency in daily activities and social participation restrictions. Our findings suggest that SCT targeting post-stroke UEMI may be clinically valuable with significant meaningful benefits for patients but also emphasize the need of early prognostication to detect patients that will have residual impairment in order to optimize patient selection for SCT.

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