Clinical characteristics and frequent risk factors in young adult patients with stroke at a tertiary care hospital in Honduras.

BACKGROUND: Stroke has become the third leading cause of death, accounting for 10% of all deaths. The prevalence of intracranial hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke has increased by 20.5%, 11.5%, and 7.4%, respectively, in the 20-54 age group, making it a worldwide problem for the young adult population. AIM: To describe the clinical characteristics, diagnostic findings, stroke subtypes, and frequent risk factors among young adult patients with stroke treated at a tertiary care hospital in Honduras. METHODS: Cross-sectional, non-probability convenience sample study of 70 patients aged 18-55 years. An ethical opinion was obtained (079-2024). The information was supplemented with clinical examinations, laboratory tests, neuroimaging, carotid Doppler, and transcranial Doppler with bubble test. Descriptive statistics were obtained. RESULTS: Young adults accounted for 30.0% of stroke cases evaluated. The mean age was 43.4 ± 9.1 years. The 61.4% were women, 55.7% had a history of hypertension, 31.4% had type 2 diabetes mellitus, and 24.3% had migraines. A total of 21.4% were smokers, and 15.7% of women used oral contraceptives. Ischemic stroke occurred in 71.4% of cases, with a cardioembolic etiology in 21.4%. A patent foramen ovale (PFO) was identified in 5 of 17 cases, corresponding to 29.4% of the tested subgroup and 7.1% of the total sample and mortality was 15.7%. CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion of strokes were observed in women, with a predominance of ischemic strokes of cardioembolic etiology. Modifiable factors associated with stroke were identified, which can be controlled, contributing to a decrease in morbidity and mortality from this pathology.