Major epidemiological features of first‐ever ischemic stroke in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Opacity of data on stroke for Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is mainly due to the lack of a unified national stroke registry. This article aims to present updated epidemiological data on the etiology and risk factors for first‐ever ischemic stroke in Tuzla Canton, B&H. METHODS: This retrospective hospital‐based study included all first‐ever ischemic stroke patients admitted between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 at the Neurology Department, University Clinical Center Tuzla. RESULTS: First‐ever ischemic stroke was diagnosed in 739 patients. Leading risk factors were hypertension (94%), diabetes mellitus (40.7%), and dyslipidemia (38.8%). The most common stroke subtypes were atherothrombotic (36.8%), cardioembolic (21.9%), and stroke of undetermined etiologies (19.2%). Mean NIHSS score at discharge was 13 (IQR 2‐16), and favorable patient outcome (mRs ≤2) was recorded in 26.4% patients. Men (aOR 0.39; 95% CI 0.24‐0.64) and younger patients (aOR 0.96; 95% CI 0.93‐0.98) had significantly higher probability of having a favorable outcome at discharge. Dyslipidemia could be considered as a predictive factor for patient outcome (aOR 0.66; 95% CI 0.43‐1.00). CONCLUSIONS: More than 92% of our patients had at least one modifiable risk factor, with hypertension and diabetes being at the forefront. One out of four patients had become functionally independent at discharge, while hospital mortality was lower than in other Eastern European countries. The overarching goal should be steered toward the development of a national stroke registry, which should be used as a reference for all further stroke management activities.