Dementia affects up to 30% of stroke survivors 3 months after stroke. The goal of this study was to determine the risk factors of poststroke dementia (PSD) in a cohort of consecutive stroke patients in Poland. A standard stroke evaluation was conducted on admission in 220 consecutive patients with ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke after excluding 30 (12%) patients with prestroke dementia. After 3 months, the survivors completed a comprehensive neuropsychological examination. The DSM-IV definition was used for diagnosis of dementia. Dementia was diagnosed in 44 (22.6%) patients 3 months after stroke. In logistic regression analysis, age (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04-1.14, p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.06-6.57, p = 0.03) and neurological deficit on admission (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.89-0.96, p < 0.001) were independently associated with PSD in the Polish hospital-based population.
Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.