Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Original Article

Clinical characteristics of cerebral infarction in China and Japan

Lihua Wu, M.D.1)*, Kazuo Takahashi, M.D.1), Shotai Kobayashi, M.D.1), Guoping Tian, M.D.2), Lichun Song, M.D.3), Ryukichi Matui, M.D.1), Shuhei Yamaguchi, M.D.1) and Japan Standard Stroke Registry Study Group (JSSRS group)

1)Department of Neurology, Hematology, Rheumatology, Shimane University School of Medicine
2)Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Shenyang, China
3)Department of Neurology, Chinese Medical University Hospital II
*Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Shenyang, China

In order to elucidate the clinical characteristics of cerebral infarction in a northeastern district of China, 1,353 patients with first-ever cerebral infarction in Shenyang, China, were compared with 2,929 patients registered in Japan. Using the identical database (Japan Standard Stroke Registry Study), we prospectively collected clinical data on acute ischemic stroke patients who were admitted to two main hospitals in Shenyang, China, and 50 hospitals in Japan. The mean age was 67.3 years in China and 71.3 years in Japan. Of the patients in China, 78% were classified as atherothrombotic infarction, 18% as lacunae, and 1% as cardioembolism. By contrast, 30% of the patients in Japan were classified as atherothrombotic infarction, 32% as lacunae, and 31% as cardioembolism. Regarding the risk factors, the incidence of hypertension was 76% in China and 62% in Japan. Diabetes mellitus was 10% in China and 26% in Japan. Hyperlipidemia was 10% in China and 22% in Japan. Atrial fibrillation was 3% in China and 21% in Japan. As the diagnostic criteria for hyperlipidemia differed, we could not compare this risk factor between the two countries statistically; however, cardioembolism, lacunae, and atrial fibrillation were significantly less common in China than in Japan. Our data suggest that hypertension is an important risk factor for ischemic stroke, and the incidence of cardioembolism and atrial fibrillation is very low in Shenyang, China.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 44: 335|341, 2004)
key words: cerebral infarction, subtype, risk factor, China, atrial fibrillation

(Received: 7-May-03)