Introduction:

Globally, there is an increase in the prevalence of stroke in young adults, with approximately 10 to 20% of ischemic strokes occurring in people aged 18 to 50 years.

Objective:

To determine the clinical characteristics of young adult patients hospitalized for stroke at the National Medical Center, Hospital Nacional, Itauguá, Paraguay, in 2023.

Methodology:

Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with consecutive case sampling. Patients aged 15 to 55 years hospitalized for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke were included.

Results:

One hundred twelve patients were included, with a mean age of 45.6±8.1 years; 52.7% were women. Of the total, 90.2% had at least one comorbidity, with hypertension found in 82.1%. Hemorrhagic stroke occurred in 66.1%. The average length of hospitalization was 23.3±19.1 days, with a mortality rate of 9.8%. Bivariate analysis showed an association between ischemic stroke and male sex (OR 2.2; p 0.045), history of stroke (OR 5.4; p 0.043), diabetes (OR 2.7; p 0.018), and heart failure (OR 19.4; p 0.012). Patients who died had a significantly shorter hospital stay than those who were discharged (4.7 ± 4.6 days vs. 25.3 ± 18.9 days; p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Females predominated, and hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity. More than half had multiple comorbidities, and the overall mortality rate was 9.8%. Hemorrhagic stroke was the most common type. Male sex, history of stroke, and heart failure were risk factors for ischemic stroke. In addition, deceased patients had a significantly shorter length of stay. These findings emphasize the importance of controlling cardiovascular risk factors in young populations.

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