Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Incidence of vascular hemiballism in the population of Belgrade.

Pekmezović T, Svetel M, Ristić A, Raicević R, Ivanović N, Smiljković T, Kostić VS

Unit of Neuroepidemiology, Institute of Neurology, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro.

Hemiballism is a relatively rare hyperkinetic disorder with unknown incidence. Stroke is the most common cause of hemiballism (vascular hemiballism), responsible for the disorder in 50% to 100% of cases. We studied the incidence of vascular hemiballism in the population of Belgrade (Serbia) 40 years of age or older during the period 1 January 1991 to 31 December 2002. During that time period, 37 patients with hemiballism due to stroke were diagnosed. The annual incidence rates varied from 0.14 to 0.87/100,000 (average 0.45/100,000) of general population.

Published 3 November 2004 in Mov Disord, 19(12): 1469-72.
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