Gender Differences in Risk Factor and Clinical Outcome in Patients with Ischemic Stroke

Article information

Kosin Med J. 2014;29(2):141-146

Publication date (electronic) : 2014 December 18

doi : https://doi.org/10.7180/kmj.2014.29.2.141

¹Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Kosin University, Busan, Korea

Corresponding Author : Kwang Soo Kim, Department of Neurology, Kosin University College of Medicine, 262, Gamcheon-ro, Seo-gu, Busan, 602-703, Korea TEL: +82-990-6274 FAX: +82-990-3077 E-mail: nekim@ns.kosinmed.or.kr

Received 2013 March 12; 2013 June 20; Accepted 2013 July 23.

Abstract

Objective:

Gender is an important determinant for risk factors and outcomes of ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to compare risk factors, and clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke between male and female patients.

Methods:

The hospital records of patients with ischemic stroke were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic data, stroke risk factors, clinical severities and outcomes after stroke were collected and compared between male and female patients. Stroke severity and clinical disability after ischemic stroke were evaluated by means of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) respectively.

Results:

Among 447 patients with ischemic stroke, 195 (43.6%) patients were women. The mean age at ischemic stroke was higher in women than in men (p<0.01). As compared to men, women had a significantly lower prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia, smoking and drinking (all p<0.01). NIHSS and mRS scores were not different between the 2 genders.

Conclusions:

Profiles of risk factors differed between the 2 genders, with men having a higher prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia, smoking and drinking. There were no gender differences in stroke severity and disability after ischemic stroke.

Keywords: Gender; Ischemic stroke; Outcome; Stroke risk factor

Table 1.

Comparison of stroke risk factors between female and male patients with ischemic stroke

Table 2.

Comparison of NIHSS and mRS scores between female and male patients with ischemic stroke

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Table 1.

Comparison of stroke risk factors between female and male patients with ischemic stroke

Risk factor	Female (n=195)	Male (n=252)	P value
Age (years)	69.5±12.3	64.7±11.0	0.000
Hypertension	163 (83.6)	199 (79.0)	0.217
Hyper lipidemia	98 (50.3)	104 (41.3)	0.058
Diabetes mellitus	70 (35.9)	92 (36.5)	0.894
Atrial iibrillalion	41 (21.0)	51 (20.2)	0.838
Hypcrlioinocysiciiicmia	40 (20.5)	84 (333)	0.003
Ischcmic hcarL disease	37(19.0)	35 (13.9)	0.147
Smoking	12 (6.2)	79 (31.3)	0.000
Drinking	10(5.1)	8.1 (32.1)	0.000
Family history	3(1.5)	6 (2.4)	0.737

Numbers arc mcan±SD or number of patients (%).

Table 2.

Comparison of NIHSS and mRS scores between female and male patients with ischemic stroke

	Female (n=195)	Male (n=252)	P value
NIHSS	4.31±3.41	4.25±2.89	0.855
mRS	2.28±1.54	2.4U1.35	0.340

Numbers arc mean±SD.

NIHSS: National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, mRS: modified Rankin Scale