total of 416 consecutive first-ever stroke patients with stroke onset
between March 1, 2001 and February 28, 2002 were included in the
Lund Stroke Register. The Lund Stroke Register covers the catchment
area of Lund University Hospital, including 8 municipalities
with 234 505 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2001). The methods
for detecting all first-ever stroke patients and the low rate of dropouts
during the defined period have been described previously.14 All
patients but 1 with a final diagnosis of first-ever stroke underwent
computed tomography of the brain.