Objectives: How race/ethnic disparities in acute stroke care contribute to disparities in outcomes is not well-understood. We examined the relationship between acute stroke care measures with mortality within the first year and 30-day hospital readmission by race/ethnicity.
Materials and methods: The study included fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries age ≥65 with ischemic stroke in 2010-2013 treated at 66 hospitals in the Florida Stroke Registry. Stroke care metrics included intravenous Alteplase treatment, in-hospital antithrombotic therapy, DVT prophylaxis, discharge antithrombotic therapy, anticoagulation therapy, statin use, and smoking cessation counseling. We used mixed logistic models to assess the associations between stroke care and mortality (in-hospital, 30-day, 6-month, 1-year post-stroke) and hospital readmission by race/ethnicity, adjusting for demographics, stroke severity, and vascular risk factors.
Results: Among 14,100 ischemic stroke patients in the full study population (73% white, 11% Black, 15% Hispanic), mortality was 3% in-hospital, 12% at 30d, 21% at 6m, 26% at 1y, and 15% had a hospital readmission within 30 days. Patients who received antithrombotics early and at discharge had lower mortality at all time points, and the protective association for early antithrombotic use was strongest among whites. Eligible patients who received statin therapy at discharge had decreased 6m and 1y mortality, but specifically among minority groups. Statin therapy was associated with lower 30-day hospital readmission.
Conclusions: Acute stroke care measures, particularly antithrombotic use and statin therapy, were associated with reduced odds of long-term mortality. The benefits of these acute care measures were less likely among Hispanic patients. Results underscore the importance of optimizing acute stroke care for all patients.
Keywords: Disparities; Ethnicity; Mortality; Race; Rehospitalization; Stroke.
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