Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (Sep 2015)

Sex Differences in Stroke Subtypes, Severity, Risk Factors, and Outcomes Among Elderly Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

  • Changshen eYu,
  • Zhongping eAn,
  • Wenjuan eZhao,
  • Wanjun eWang,
  • Chunlin eGao,
  • Shoufeng eLiu,
  • Jinghua eWang,
  • Jialing eWu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2015.00174
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7

Abstract

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Background: Although the age-specific incidence and mortality of stroke is higher among men, stroke has a greater clinical effect on women. However, the sex differences in stroke among elderly patients are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to assess the sex differences in stroke among elderly stroke patients.Methods: Between 2005 and 2013, we recruited 1,484 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients (≥75 years old) from a specialized neurology hospital in Tianjin, China. Information regarding their stroke subtypes, severity, risk factors, and outcomes at 3 and 12 months after stroke were recorded.Results: Comparing with men, women had a significantly higher prevalence of severe stroke (17.20% vs. 12.54%), hypertension (76.42% vs. 66.39%), dyslipidemias (30.35% vs. 22.76%), and obesity (18.40% vs. 9.32%), P < 0.05. Comparing with women, men had a significantly higher prevalence of intracranial artery stenosis (23.11% vs. 17.45%), current smoking (29.60% vs. 13.05%), and alcohol consumption (12.15% vs. 0.47%), P < 0.05. Moreover, dependency was more common among women at 3 and 12 months after stroke, although the sex difference disappeared after adjusting for stroke subtypes, severity, and risk factors. Conclusions: Elderly women with acute ischemic stroke had more severe stroke status and worse outcomes at 3 and 12 months after stroke. Thus, elderly female post-acute ischemic stroke patients are a crucial population that should be assisted with controlling their risk factors for stroke and changing their lifestyle.

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