Published online before print April 10, 2003, doi: 10.1161/01.STR.0000068410.07397.D7
(Stroke. 2003;34:1114.)
© 2003 American Heart Association, Inc.
Original Contributions |
Sex Differences in the Clinical Presentation, Resource Use, and 3-Month Outcome of Acute Stroke in Europe
Data From a Multicenter Multinational Hospital-Based Registry
From the Institute of Neurosciences (A.D.C., M.B.), ILSA Study, Italian National Research Council, Florence, Italy; the Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences (M.L., G.P., A.M.B., D.I.), University of Florence, Italy; Department of Public Health Sciences (C.D.A.W.), Guy’s, King’s, and St Thomas’ School of Medicine, London, UK; Service de Neurologie (M.G.), Hôpital General, Dijon, France; Department of Care of the Elderly (A.R.), Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Trust, London, UK; and Ospedale S.M. Annunziata (A.G.), Florence, Italy.
Correspondence to Prof Domenico Inzitari, Dept of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 85, 50134 Florence, Italy. E-mail inzitari{at}neuro.unifi.it
Background and Purpose— The information on the existence of sex differences in management of stroke patients is scarce. We evaluated whether sex differences may influence clinical presentation, resource use, and outcome of stroke in a European multicenter study.
Methods— In a European Concerted Action involving 7 countries, 4499 patients hospitalized for first-in-a-lifetime stroke were evaluated for demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, resource use, and 3-month survival, disability (Barthel Index), and handicap (Rankin Scale).
Results— Overall, 2239 patients were males and 2260 females. Compared with males, female patients were significantly older (mean age 74.5±12.5 versus 69.2±12.1 years), more frequently institutionalized before stroke, and with a worse prestroke Rankin score (all values P<0.001). History of hypertension (P=0.007) and atrial fibrillation (P<0.001) were significantly more frequent in female stroke patients, as were coma (P<0.001), paralysis (P<0.001), aphasia (P=0.001), swallowing problems (P=0.005), and urinary incontinence (P<0.001) in the acute phase. Brain imaging, Doppler examination, echocardiogram, and angiography were significantly less frequently performed in female than male patients (all values P<0.001). The frequency of carotid surgery was also significantly lower in female patients (P<0.001). At the 3-month follow-up, after controlling for all baseline and clinical variables, female sex was a significant predictor of disability (odds ratio [OR], 1.41; 95% CI 1.10 to 1.81) and handicap (OR, 1.46; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.86). No significant gender effect was observed on 3-month survival.
Conclusions— Sex-specific differences existed in a large European study of hospital admissions for acute stroke. Both medical and sociodemographic factors may significantly influence stroke outcome. Knowledge of these determinants may positively impact quality of care.
Key Words: gender • prognosis • stroke management • stroke outcome
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