%0 Journal Article
%T Risk factors and prognosis of young stroke. The FUTURE study: A prospective cohort study. Study rationale and protocol
%A Loes CA Rutten-Jacobs
%A Noortje AM Maaijwee
%A Renate M Arntz
%A Mayte E Van Alebeek
%A Pauline Schaapsmeerders
%A Henny C Schoonderwaldt
%A Lucille DA Dorresteijn
%A Sebastiaan Overeem
%A Gea Drost
%A Mirian C Janssen
%A Waander L van Heerde
%A Roy PC Kessels
%A Marcel P Zwiers
%A David G Norris
%A Maureen J van der Vlugt
%A Ewoud J van Dijk
%A Frank-Erik de Leeuw
%J BMC Neurology
%D 2011
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1471-2377-11-109
%X The FUTURE study is a prospective cohort study on risk factors and prognosis of young ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke among 1006 patients, aged 18-50 years, included in our study database between 1-1-1980 and 1-11-2010. Follow-up visits at our research centre take place from the end of 2009 until the end of 2011. Control subjects will be recruited among the patients' spouses, relatives or social environment. Information on mortality and incident vascular events will be retrieved via structured questionnaires. In addition, participants are invited to the research centre to undergo an extensive sub study including MRI.The FUTURE study has the potential to make an important contribution to increase the knowledge on risk factors and long-term prognosis in young stroke patients. Our study differs from previous studies by having a maximal follow-up of more than 30 years, including not only TIA and ischemic stroke but also hemorrhagic stroke, the addition of healthy controls and prospectively collect data during an extensive follow-up visit. Completion of the FUTURE study may provide better information for treating physicians and patients with respect to the prognosis of young stroke.Up to 12% of all stroke occur in patients between 18-50 years ("young" stroke) [1], affecting about 5000 patients each year in the Netherlands and about 2 million young people each year worldwide. In a substantial proportion of roughly one third the etiology remains unelucidated. In terms of prognosis a "young" stroke has a dramatic influence on independency and quality of life as it occurs in the period of life that people start to form families, make decisive career moves, and have an active social life. Uncertainty about long term prognosis affects choices and planning affiliated with these life events.Whereas risk factors and prognosis in patients who develop a stroke at higher ages (usually over 70 years) are among the best studied topics in clinical medicine, this does not hold true for
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/11/109