Table 1.

Crude odds ratios (95% confidence interval (CI)) of ischemic stroke for self-perceived psychological stress

	Cases/controls	Odds ratio (95% CI)
Never experienced stress	56/51	1.00 (reference)
Some period of stress	136/187	0.66 (0.43 to 1.03)
Some period of stress during the last 5 years	89/126	0.64 (0.40 to 1.03)
Several periods of stress during the last 5 years	159/183	0.79 (0.51 to 1.22)
Permanent stress during the last year	46/17	2.46 (1.26 to 4.83)**
Permanent stress during the last 5 years	80/29	2.51 (1.42 to 4.44)**

**P < 0.01.