Young-onset stroke in the UAE: A single-centre retrospective analysis of risk factors and outcomes.
S, S., S, A., KA, S., B, A., MEA, M., N, S., F, M., RR, A., AM, A., & HJ, B. (2026). Young-onset stroke in the UAE: A single-centre retrospective analysis of risk factors and outcomes.. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355300
S S, S A, KA S, B A, MEA M, N S, et al. Young-onset stroke in the UAE: A single-centre retrospective analysis of risk factors and outcomes.. PloS one. 2026; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0355300
S S, S A, KA S, et al. Young-onset stroke in the UAE: A single-centre retrospective analysis of risk factors and outcomes.[J]. PloS one. 2026. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0355300.
@article{s2026,
author = {Siddiq S and Adra S and Samara KA and Aldaher B and Mahfouz MEA and Sakan N and Musfira F and Assadi RR and Almarzooqi AM and Barqawi HJ},
title = {Young-onset stroke in the UAE: A single-centre retrospective analysis of risk factors and outcomes.},
journal = {PloS one},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0355300},
note = {PMID: 42560947},
}
TY - JOUR AU - Siddiq S AU - Adra S AU - Samara KA AU - Aldaher B AU - Mahfouz MEA AU - Sakan N AU - Musfira F AU - Assadi RR AU - Almarzooqi AM AU - Barqawi HJ TI - Young-onset stroke in the UAE: A single-centre retrospective analysis of risk factors and outcomes. T2 - PloS one PY - 2026 DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0355300 AN - PMID:42560947 ER -
BACKGROUND: Young-onset stroke represents a growing public health concern, yet data from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remain limited. This study aimed to examine the risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with young-onset stroke in the UAE. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 419 patients aged below 50 years who were admitted at Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah, UAE, with a diagnosis of stroke between 2016 and 2022. Data on demographics, comorbidities, stroke subtype, management, and outcomes were collected and analyzed using Python-based statistical libraries. RESULTS: The study population comprised predominantly of male individuals (78.28%), with most patients originating from South Asia (63.96%) and the Middle East and North Africa region (19.33%). Ischemic stroke was the most common subtype (50.12%), followed by intracerebral hemorrhage (27.21%) and non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (22.67%). Hypertension (45.45%) and diabetes mellitus (24.42%) were the most prevalent comorbidities. Only 0.24% of patients underwent mechanical thrombectomy, and 9.41% received intravenous thrombolysis. The overall mortality rate was 12.68%, with coronary artery disease significantly associated with death (p < 0.001). South Asian patients were 2.19 times more likely to have large-artery atherosclerosis compared to non-South Asians (95% CI: 1.11-4.30, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Young-onset stroke in the UAE is characterized by a high burden of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, particularly hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Targeted preventive strategies and region-specific research are essential to reduce disease burden and improve patient outcomes.