Predictors of one-year disability and death in Chinese hospitalized women after ischemic stroke

Abstract

Background and purpose: Women have a worse functional outcome after stroke, but the specific factors associated with a poor outcome in women are rarely reported. This study was designed to investigate the clinical predictors of 1-year disability and death in women after ischemic stroke.

Methods: Patients with ischemic stroke consecutively registered from March 2002 to July 2007 were followed prospectively for 1 year. Multivariate regression models were employed to analyze predictors of disability (defined as modified Rankin scale score, mRS, 3-5) and death.

Results: A total of 2,774 ischemic stroke patients were included with 1,119 (40.3%) females (mean age 65 +/- 13.5 years). Among female patients, disability (mRS 3-5) is 1.68-fold higher and case fatality is 1.23-fold higher than in men at the 1-year follow-up. Diabetes is an independent predictor of 1-year disability among women (odds ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.01-2.39). In-hospital acute renal failure (hazard ratio, HR, 7.26; 95% CI, 3.47-5.19), suboptimal antiplatelets (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.37-0.83) and antihypertensive therapy (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.42-0.90) are associated with death at 1 year after stroke among women.

Conclusions: The present study indicates that diabetes, in-hospital acute renal failure, suboptimal antiplatelets and antihypertensive therapy are the possible explanations for the poor 1-year outcome of women hospitalized with ischemic stroke.