Stroke: Incidence and Pattern in Benghazi, Libya

Over a period of three years (January 1991 to December 1993), a total of 921 cases of stroke occurred in Benghazi, Libya. This provides a crude annual incidence rate for stroke of 48 per 100,000 population and a rate of 52 and 42 per 100,000 population for males and females respectively. The age-adjusted incidence rates were 162 and 133 per 100,000 population for males and females respectively for >/=45 years of age. Cerebral infarction was the most common type of stroke, accounting for 77%. Hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus and cardiac lesions were common risk factors among the male patients while hypertension, diabetes and cardiac lesions were common risk factors in females. Furthermore, females were found to have a high incidence of hypertension and diabetes when compared to males. However, 25% of males and 15% of females had no significant underlying risk factors. Fifty-four cases of stroke occurred during the study period in the age group of 15 to 45 years and constituted "stroke in the young", giving an annual incidence rate of 14 per 100,000 and rates of 15 and 13 per 100,000 population for males and females respectively in this age group. Hypertension, diabetes and heart disease were important risk factors for stroke in the young. However, nearly 45% of males and 20% of females had no significant risk factors.