Prevalence of stroke in China, 2013-2019: A population-based study

Wen-Jun Tu; Yang Hua; Feng Yan; Hetao Bian; Yi Yang; Min Lou; Dezhi Kang; Li He; Lan Chu; Jingsheng Zeng; Jian Wu; Huisheng Chen; Jianfeng Han; Lin Ma; Lei Cao; Longde Wang

doi:10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100550

Prevalence of stroke in China, 2013-2019: A population-based study

Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022 Jul 30:28:100550. doi: 10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100550. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Authors

Wen-Jun Tu^{1

2}, Yang Hua³, Feng Yan⁴, Hetao Bian¹, Yi Yang⁵, Min Lou⁶, Dezhi Kang⁷, Li He⁸, Lan Chu⁹, Jingsheng Zeng¹⁰, Jian Wu¹¹, Huisheng Chen¹², Jianfeng Han¹³, Lin Ma¹⁴, Lei Cao¹, Longde Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ The General Office of Stroke Prevention Project Committee, National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China.
² Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.
³ Department of Ultrasound Vascular, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Capital Medical University Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing, China.
⁵ Department of Neurology, the First Bethune Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
⁶ Department of Neurology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
⁷ Department of Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
⁸ Department of Neurology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁹ Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
¹⁰ Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
¹¹ Department of Neurology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Memoria Hospital, Beijing, China.
¹² Department of Neurology, The General Hospital of Northern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Shenyang, China.
¹³ Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
¹⁴ Department of Interventional Radiology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Background: The stroke burden in China has increased during the past 40 years. The present study aimed to determine the recent trends in the prevalence of stroke from 2013 to 2019 stratified by sociodemographic characteristics, including sex, age, residence, ethnicity, and province within a population-based screening project in China.

Methods: We made use of data generated from 2013 to 2019 in the China Stroke High-risk Population Screening Program. All living subjects with confirmed stroke at interview were considered to have prevalent stroke. All analyses of prevalence of stroke were weighted and results were presented as percentage and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Findings: A total of 4229,616 Chinese adults aged ≥40 years from 227 cities in the 31 provinces were finally included. The enrollment rate ranged from 58.8% (2017) to 67.8% (2013). The weighted prevalence of stroke increased annually from 2013 to 2019, being 2.28% (95% CI: 2.28-2.28%) in 2013, 2.34% (2.34-2.35%) in 2014, 2.43% (2.43-2.43%) in 2015, 2.48% (2.48-2.48%) in 2016, 2.52% (2.52-2.52%) in 2017, 2.55% (2.55-2.55%) in 2018, and 2.58% (2.58-2.58%) in 2019 (p for trend <0.001). The weighted prevalence of stroke was higher for male sex, older age, and residence in rural and northeast areas.

Interpretation: The prevalence of stroke in China and most provinces has continued to increase in the past 7 years (2013-2019). These findings, especially in provinces with high stroke prevalence, can help public health officials to increase province capacity for stroke and related risk factors prevention.

Fundings: This study was supported by grants from the National Major Public Health Service Projects.

Keywords: China; Prevalence; Sociodemographic; Stroke.