Risk Factors for Stroke in Bangladesh: Evidence from A Multi-Center Matched Case-Control Study

Bangladesh faces a high stroke burden, yet regional evidence on the interplay between traditional metabolic factors and contemporary risks like COVID-19 remains limited. This study aims to identify independent risk factors for stroke and quantify their public health impact using population attributable fractions (PAF). Our study exhibits that hypertension remains the primary driver of stroke in Bangladesh, while prior COVID-19 infection has appeared as a significant independent risk factor. Findings exhibit the need for intensive community-level blood pressure management and integrating viral history into routine vascular risk screening.