In April 2002, we began a community-based incidence study of acute stroke and acute myocardial infarction (MI), in a mainly urban population of 200,000 in Oxfordshire. The Oxford Vascular Study (OXVASC) has three unique elements.
Firstly, we will compare the incidence and case-fatality of acute stroke and acute MI in the same population at the same time.
Secondly, since we are uniquely fortunate to have previous Oxford community-based incidence studies of stroke (OCSP) and acute MI (OXMIS), which will allow us to determine recent time trends in incidence and case-fatality.
Thirdly, we will study the differences between the clinical, molecular and genetic risk factors for MI and the specific subtypes of stroke in the same population.
The study will establish a core of detailed clinical, imaging, and follow-up data, with stored blood and DNA, that will provide a source of well phenotyped patients for add-on studies.