SUBMITTED 18 AUG 20 REVISION REQ. 28 SEP 20; REVISION RECD. 3 NOV 20 ACCEPTED 28 NOV 20 ONLINE-FIRST: APRIL 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.4.2021.043 Risk Factors for Ischaemic Stroke in an Omani Community A case-control study Shyam Sundar Ganguly, 1 *Arunodaya R. Gujjar, 2 Hasina Al Harthi, 1 Amal Al Hashmi, 3 Sanjay Jaju, 1 Abdulaziz Al-Mahrezi, 1 Abdullah Rashid Al-Asmi 2 Departments of 1 Family Medicine & Public Health and 2 Medicine, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman; 3 Department of Neurology, Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman *Corresponding Author’s e-mails: arunoday@squ.edu.om and grarunoday@hotmail.com Abstract Objectives: Stroke is recognized to be the third most common cause of mortality, with increasing incidence among developing countries. Recognition and control of risk factors is of prime importance in the prevention of stroke. We aimed to study the characteristics of ischemic stroke (IS) patients in Oman, and quantify its various risk factors using a case-control model. Methods: This study conducted from January 2012 to March 2013 included 255 adult Omani patients with IS admitted to two premier hospitals in Oman, compared to 255 age- and gender-matched controls. Demographic factors and frequency of various conventional risk factors were documented. Univariate and step-wise multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to evaluate the risk factors associated for IS. Results: Of the 255 cases, 63% were males. The mean age was 62.2 ± 13.2 years. Most of the cases (89%) were above 45 years of age. Cardio-embolism(32%) was the commonest mechanism of IS. The stepwise multiple logistic regression model revealed that family history of stroke was the strongest independent risk factor with odds ratio (OR) of 10.10, followed by hypertension with