Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of acute ischemic stroke patients compared by gender. Results for continuous variables are presented as Mean ± SD, while discrete data are presented as percentage and frequency. Student T-test and Pearson’s Chi-Square were used
Characteristic | Male | Female | Â |
|---|---|---|---|
Number of patients | 2662 | 2807 | P-value |
Age Group: No. (%) | |||
 < 50 | 305 (11.5) | 353 (12.6) | < 0.001*a |
 50–59 | 603 (22.7) | 393 (14.0) |  |
 60–69 | 740 (27.8) | 559 (19.9) |  |
 70–79 | 592 (22.2) | 639 (22.8) |  |
 > =80 | 422 (15.9) | 30.7) |  |
Mean ± SD | 65.13 ± 13.372 | 69.26 ± 15.657 | < 0.001*b |
Race: No (%) | |||
 White | 2090 (78.5) | 2198 (78.3) | 0.544 |
 Black | 492 (18.5) | 510 (18.2) |  |
 Other | 80 (3.0) | 99 (3.5) |  |
Hispanic Ethnicity: No. (%) | 38 (1.4) | 47 (1.7) | 0.461 |
BMI: Mean ± SD | 28.04 ± 5.983 | 28.61 ± 7.795 | 0.002*b |
Medical History: No. (%) | |||
 Atrial Fib | 381 (14.3) | 543 (19.3) | < 0.001*a |
 Coronary Artery Disease | 935 (35.1) | 726 (25.9) | < 0.001*a |
 Carotid Artery Stenosis | 191 (7.2) | 143 (5.1) | 0.001*a |
 Depression | 271 (10.2) | 450 (16.0) | < 0.001*a |
 Diabetes | 951 (35.7) | 984 (35.1) | 0.605 |
 Drugs or Alcohol | 256 (9.6) | 81 (2.9) | < 0.001*a |
 Dyslipidemia | 1364 (51.2) | 1391 (49.6) | 0.213 |
 Stroke Family History | 224 (8.4) | 270 (9.6) | 0.121 |
 Heart Failure | 245 (9.2) | 345 (12.3) | < 0.001*a |
 Hypertension | 2056 (77.2) | 2250 (80.2) | 0.008*a |
 Migraine | 29 (1.1) | 105 (3.7) | < 0.001*a |
 Obesity | 1148 (43.1) | 1163 (41.4) | 0.205 |
 Previous Stroke | 671 (25.2) | 753 (26.8) | 0.173 |
 Previous TIA (>  24 h) | 213 (8.0) | 264 (9.4) | 0.066 |
 Prosthetic Heart Valve | 35 (1.3) | 27 (1.0) | 0.218 |
 Peripheral Vascular Disease | 192 (7.2) | 208 (7.4) | 0.779 |
 Chronic Renal Disease | 232 (8.7) | 215 (7.7) | 0.154 |
 Sleep Apnea | 101 (3.8) | 69 (2.5) | 0.004*a |
 Smoker | 883 (33.2) | 603 (21.5) | < 0.001*a |
Medication History: No (%) | |||
 HTN medication | 1763 (66.2) | 2031 (72.4) | < 0.001*a |
 Cholesterol Reducer | 1227 (46.1) | 1201 (42.8) | 0.014*a |
 Diabetic Medication | 735 (27.6) | 760 (27.1) | 0.657 |
 Antidepressant | 251 (9.4) | 460 (16.4) | < 0.001*a |
Initial NIHSS Score: No (%) | |||
 0–9 | 1677 (74.0) | 1612 (69.5) | 0.005*a |
 10–14 | 235 (10.4) | 272 (11.7) |  |
 15–20 | 218 (9.6) | 283 (12.2) |  |
 21–25 | 137 (6.0) | 153 (6.6) |  |
Mean ± SD | 7.63 ± 7.84 | 8.90 ± 8.56 | < 0.001*b |
Lab values: Mean ± SD | |||
 Total cholesterol | 165.96 ± 52.10 | 177.54 ± 50.89 | < 0.001*b |
 Triglycerides | 142.60 ± 110.95 | 136.78 ± 99.16 | 0.057 |
 HDL | 38.43 ± 12.57 | 45.03 ± 14.23 | < 0.001*b |
 LDL | 101.83 ± 39.72 | 107.31 ± 42.58 | < 0.001*b |
 Lipids | 6.51 ± 1.82 | 6.54 ± 3.11 | 0.709 |
 Blood Glucose | 146.75 ± 78.26 | 147.82 ± 83.62 | 0.626 |
 Serum Creatinine | 1.40 ± 1.22 | 1.18 ± 1.09 | < 0.001*b |
 INR | 1.15 ± 0.51 | 1.18 ± 1.09 | 0.069 |
Vital Signs: Mean ± SD | |||
 Heart Rate | 80.43 ± 15.35 | 83.50 ± 18.57 | < 0.001*b |
 Blood Pressure Systolic | 152.09 ± 28.86 | 151.57 ± 29.74 | 0.508 |
 Blood Pressure Diastolic | 84.60 ± 18.37 | 80.39 ± 19.59 | < 0.001*b |
Ambulation Status Prior to Event: No. (%) | |||
 Ambulate Independently | 2453 (92.1) | 2434 (86.7) | < 0.001*a |
 Ambulate with Assistance | 74 (2.8) | 129 (4.6) |  |
 Unable to Ambulate | 79 (3.0) | 134 (4.8) |  |
 Not Documented | 56 (2.1) | 109 (3.9) |  |
Ambulation Status on Admission: No. (%) | |||
 Ambulate Independently | 727 (27.3) | 604 (21.5) | < 0.001*a |
 Ambulate with Assistance | 790 (29.7) | 836 (29.8) |  |
 Unable to Ambulate | 744 (27.9) | 984 (35.1) |  |
 Not Documented | 401 (15.1) | 383 (13.6) |  |
Ambulation Status on Discharge: No. (%) | |||
 Ambulate Independently | 1184 (44.5) | 990 (35.3) | < 0.001*a |
 Ambulate with Assistance | 846 (31.8) | 974 (34.7) |  |
 Unable to Ambulate | 429 (16.1) | 640 (22.8) |  |
 Not Documented | 203 (7.6) | 203 (7.2) |  |
 rtPA received: No. (%) | 668 (25.1) | 659 (23.5) | 0.163 |
First Care Received: No. (%) | |||
 Emergency Department | 2085 (79.1) | 2212 (79.4) | 0.806 |
 Direct Admission | 550 (20.9) | 574 (20.6) |  |
 Improved Ambulation: No. (%) | 927 (37.5) | 898 (34.4) | 0.019*a |
 NIHSS > 7: No. (%) | 824 (35.0) | 1043 (42.1) | < 0.001*a |
 Diastolic Blood Pressure ≥ 80 mmHg | 1576 (59.3) | 1312 (46.8) | < 0.001*a |