Polymicrobial septicaemia due to Clostridium difficile and Bacteroides fragilis.

531 of observation were available for analysis. In total, 46 women had been diagnosed during the follow up period by the consultant responsible for their care as suffering from a first stroke (ICD (8th revision) codes 430-438). Thirteen had suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage, of whom four died; eight had an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation detected by angio-graphy or at necropsy. Two other women (who are not considered further here) suffered definite intracranial haemorrhage (a fatal intracerebral haemorrhage in one and a chronic bilateral subdural haematoma in the other). The remaining 31 women developed strokes of thrombotic, embolic, or unknown pathogenesis (hereafter referred to as "non-haemorrhagic" strokes). Of these 31, only two died, while so far as could be ascertained from the available records another nine were left with an important disability. Arteriography or brain scanning was undertaken in 17 women and an abnormality was found in nine. The diagnosis of stroke in the non-haemorrhagic group was thus usually on the basis of the clinical picture. We analysed the data concerning subarachnoid haemorrhage and non-haemorrhagic stroke separately, taking into account the woman's age, whether or not she had been referred to hospital for management of hyper-tension before the stroke occurred, her smoking habits, and her use of oral contraceptives. The table summarises the results. Numbers were small, but the data suggest that hypertension and smoking were strongly related and that pill use was weakly related to the risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage. Incidence of suibarachnoid haemorrhage and "non-haemorrhagic" stroke in relation to age, history of hospital referral for hypettension, cigarette smoking, and oral contraceptive use. (Data given for each variable adjusted for effects of all other variables by indirect standardisation)