Between January 2005 and January 2009, 1,055 consecutive patients with acute stroke (i.e., within 7 days after symptom onset) were identified at Soonchunhyang University Hospital. We separated patients according to gender and prospectively analyzed their baseline characteristics, mortality, and functional outcomes at discharge and at 3 months and 1 year after stroke onset. We compared the mean age, time delay from symptom onset to hospital arrival, and risk factors between the genders. The risk factors included past history of hypertension (previous diagnosis, current treatment, or blood pressures of ≥160/95 mmHg in at least two subsequent measurements), diabetes mellitus (previous diagnosis or current treatment with insulin or oral hypoglycemic medications, or a fasting plasma glucose level of ≥126 mg/dL in at least two subsequent measurements), hyperlipidemia (diagnosis or current treatment with lipid-lowering agents, or serum low-density lipoprotein concentration of ≥160 mg/dL), smoking (currently or previously), and potential cardioembolic source.
The existences of previous transient ischemic attack (acute neurological deficit of vascular origin, lasting <24 hours) and stroke (including ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke) were also analyzed. We also investigated compliance with medication for risk factors in those patients with at least one more risk factors. Stroke subtype was classified according to the Trial of Org 10,172 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria.18 (link)
We analyzed various variables at admission and discharge. At admission, gender differences were assessed in stroke severity according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and in the use of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). At discharge, the duration of hospital stay, achievement of anticoagulation for high-risk patients of cardioembolic source, stroke severity, functional outcome on the modified Rankin scale (mRS), and mortality during hospitalization were analyzed. The initial neurologic deficits were categorized using the NIHSS into mild (score ≤7), moderate (score >7 and ≤16), and severe (score >16).
Functional outcome as determined by mRS score and mortality were followed up at 3 months and 1 year after stroke onset in the available survivors. The mRS scores were dichotomized into ≤2 (good functional outcome) and >2 (poor outcome). These assessments were made via telephone or face-to-face interview at outpatient clinic.
Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with SPSS version 15.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Univariate analysis was performed using the χ2 test for dichotomous variables and the t-test for continuous variables. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Multivariate analysis was carried out with a logistic regression model. Variables with a probability of p<0.1 in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis. The results of the logistic regressions are presented using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Other data are presented as mean±SD values except where stated otherwise.
The existences of previous transient ischemic attack (acute neurological deficit of vascular origin, lasting <24 hours) and stroke (including ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke) were also analyzed. We also investigated compliance with medication for risk factors in those patients with at least one more risk factors. Stroke subtype was classified according to the Trial of Org 10,172 in Acute Stroke Treatment criteria.18 (link)
We analyzed various variables at admission and discharge. At admission, gender differences were assessed in stroke severity according to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and in the use of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). At discharge, the duration of hospital stay, achievement of anticoagulation for high-risk patients of cardioembolic source, stroke severity, functional outcome on the modified Rankin scale (mRS), and mortality during hospitalization were analyzed. The initial neurologic deficits were categorized using the NIHSS into mild (score ≤7), moderate (score >7 and ≤16), and severe (score >16).
Functional outcome as determined by mRS score and mortality were followed up at 3 months and 1 year after stroke onset in the available survivors. The mRS scores were dichotomized into ≤2 (good functional outcome) and >2 (poor outcome). These assessments were made via telephone or face-to-face interview at outpatient clinic.
Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with SPSS version 15.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Univariate analysis was performed using the χ2 test for dichotomous variables and the t-test for continuous variables. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Multivariate analysis was carried out with a logistic regression model. Variables with a probability of p<0.1 in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis. The results of the logistic regressions are presented using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Other data are presented as mean±SD values except where stated otherwise.
