Nineteen-year trends in risk factors, clinical characteristics and prognosis in lacunar infarcts.

Background: Cardiovascular risk factors, clinical features and early outcome of first-ever cerebral lacunar infarcts from 1986 to 2004, using the Sagrat Cor Hospital of Barcelona Stroke Registry, were assessed and compared with data from patients with nonlacunar infarction. Methods: The study population consisted of 566 patients with lacunar infarct and 1,516 patients with nonlacunar infarct. Secular trends for the periods 1986–1992, 1993–1998 and 1999–2004 were analyzed. Results: Age and the percentage of very old patients (≧85 years old) increased significantly (p Conclusions: Significant changes over a 19-year period included an increase in the patients’ age, frequency of very old patients (≧85 years old) and use of MRI studies, whereas the frequency of hypertension and length of hospital stay decreased.