Study Sheds Light on Role of Risk Factors in Young-Onset Cryptogenic Ischemic Stroke
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, April 17, 2025 -- Traditional risk factors contribute to young-onset cryptogenic ischemic stroke (CIS) without patent foramen ovale (PFO), while nontraditional risk factors seem more important for CIS with PFO, according to a study published online April 17 in Stroke.
Jukka Putaala, M.D., from Helsinki University Hospital and the University of Helsinki, and colleagues enrolled patients aged 18 to 49 years with recent CIS and frequency-matched stroke-free controls of the same age and sex from 19 European sites to examine the burden and associations of risk factors with young-onset CIS (523 patients and 523 controls). The association of risk factors (12 traditional, 10 nontraditional, and five female sex-specific) with CIS, stratified by PFO, was assessed.
The researchers found that each additional traditional, nontraditional, and female sex-specific risk factor increased CIS risk in patients with CIS without PFO (odds ratios, 1.417, 1.702, and 1.700, respectively). Each traditional risk factor increased the risk in patients with CIS with PFO (odds ratio, 1.185); when fully adjusted, only nontraditional risk factors remained significant (odds ratio, 2.656). For CIS without PFO, population-attributable risks were 64.7, 26.5, and 18.9 percent for traditional, nontraditional, and female sex-specific risk factors, respectively. The corresponding population-attributable risks for CIS with PFO were 33.8, 49.4, and 21.8 percent. The most significant contributor was migraine with aura, with population-attributable risks of 45.8 and 22.7 percent for CIS with PFO and CIS without PFO, respectively, and with a stronger impact seen for women.
"The prominent role of behavioral factors and the strong association with migraine with aura underscore the necessity for a thorough and tailored approach to risk factor assessment and prevention strategies in young adults," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted April 2025
Read this next
Age-Adjusted Ischemic Stroke Mortality Increased Since 2009
FRIDAY, April 18, 2025 -- Patterns of mortality and end-of-life care have changed among U.S. ischemic stroke patients, with increases in mortality seen across all urbanization...
Lower Oral Health Scores Linked to Higher Pain Scores in Women
MONDAY, April 14, 2025 -- Low oral health scores are associated with higher pain scores, including migraine headache, among women, according to a study published online April 9 in...
17 Modifiable Risk Factors Shared by Stroke, Dementia, and Late-Life Depression
THURSDAY, April 10, 2025 -- Seventeen modifiable risk factors are shared by stroke, dementia, and late-life depression, according to a review published online April 3 in...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.