Matching of the WOSCOPS strokes and TIAs.

Matching of WOSCOPS first and subsequent strokes and transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) by cause and date with Record Linkage events. The ‘other’ RL events were any hospitalizations with a date match but a diagnosis other than stroke, TIA or MI and non-matches had no near date match. A first event was defined as either a stroke or a TIA event and could match with a first or subsequent event of the opposing type.