345 Autoimmune Diseases and Risk of Stroke

BACKGROUND: To determine the frequency of patients (pts) with autoimmune diseases who developed stroke and to analyse the associated risk factors. METHODS: We made a retrospective analysis of 251 pts with stroke, hospitalized during 1 year period at the Department for Urgent Neurology. Of them, we selected 7 pts with a history of autoimmune diseases. RESULTS: Three patients had systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 2 pts had M. Behcet, one patient was diagnosed with Sneddon sy and one patient had Vascullitis allergica leucocytoclastica. All pts were females, except one male pt with M. Behcet. The average age was 49 ± 11 years. Two patients with massive ischemic stroke had a lethal outcome. Hypertension was found as an independent risk factor for stroke in all pts (P < 0.01). Other risk factors included chronic renal failure, antiphospholipid antibodies, hypercoagulable state and symptomatic seizures. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of autoimmune diseases in patients with stroke was 2.7% in our material. Hypertension was an independent risk factor for subsequent stroke.