Sex Differences in Stroke Risk Factors, Clinical Profiles, and In-Hospital Outcomes Among Stroke Patients Admitted to the Medical Ward of Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

Background A stroke is a vascular accident that affects both men and women. The threat of stroke and outcome status differ between the sexes. Such data are lacking in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assessed sex differences in stroke risk factors, clinical profiles, and outcomes in the medical ward of Dessie comprehensive specialized hospital. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was employed among stroke patients. Medical records with complete information and a confirmed diagnosis of stroke using imaging techniques were included in the study. Using simple random sampling, 344 medical records were selected, 312 of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and a chi-square test were employed. The frequency, percentage, and mean and standard deviation of the variables were described using descriptive statistics. Findings with a P-value <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Most of the patients were above or equal to 45 years old in both sexes. A significantly higher number of male than female patients were aged less than 45 years (p-value-0.001). Younger age (AOR: 2.998, p = 0.000), cigarette smoking (AOR: 2.911, p = 0.009), and Khat chewing (AOR: 3.650, p = 0.001) were risk factors for stroke in males. A higher number of males presented with hemiplegia/hemiparesis 89 (28.5%), aphasia 45 (14.4%), and facial palsy 19 (6.1%). However, more females were unconscious (15.1%). Significant differences were not seen in the stroke outcomes. Furthermore, there were no apparent differences in risk factors for stroke-related mortality. Conclusion Males developed stroke at a younger age. Women were older at the time of stroke onset and presented unconscious. More males experienced hemiplegia/hemiparesis, aphasia, and facial palsy. Smoking, drinking, and khat chewing were risk factors for stroke in men. There were no gender differences in the stroke death rate. Therefore, educating the public about stroke risk factors, lifestyle modification, and conducting prospective research is required.

Characterization of Demographic, Clinical, and Laboratory Risk Factors for Stroke in a Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“…In our study, we conducted a detailed analysis of laboratory components, medical history, and demographic data related to stroke, aiming to better understand stroke risk factors and behavior within the Saudi Arabian population. Demographically, our findings resonate with current literature, indicating that male patients constitute a larger portion of the stroke population at 57.86% than female patients [9]. The dominance of the Saudi population in our sample at 99.6% could be attributed to the eligibility criteria at KFMC.…”

Sex disparity in stroke outcomes in a multicenter prospective stroke registry in Vietnam

“…We therefore analyzed 2300 stroke patients with women comprising 38.7% (890 patients) of participants. The mean age was 65.3 ± 13.7 years, and the median (interquartile range (IQR)) NIHSS score was 7 (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). The baseline variables, vascular risk factors, and stroke type stratified according to sex are summarized in Table 1.…”

“…Women were older than men (median 4 years), which is a common trend in sex disparities worldwide. 4,5,9 Women had higher rates of diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation, whereas men had higher rates of tobacco use and BMI, which are risk factors for stroke. However, there were no sex differences in the severity of their presentation by the NIHSS scale, which is in contrast to studies from Korea showing that women presented with a higher initial NIHSS score.…”

“…2,3 This difference may be related to the fact that stroke occurs at a younger age in men, and stroke risk factors such as tobacco use and alcohol consumption are more prevalent in men. 4 In contrast, women are often reported to have stroke at a later age, and correspondingly have a higher rate of atrial fibrillation, as well as severe initial neurologic deficit. 5,6 In Vietnam, there is a lack of data regarding sex differences as related to stroke risk factors, clinical profiles, and clinical outcomes as well as strategies for stroke management and prevention.…”

Hypertensive and Non-hypertensive Hospital Admission Blood Pressure Association with Cognitive Function in Stroke Patients

“…These results align with previous studies, which have shown that strokes occur at a younger age in males and at an older age in females. 25,26 This study includes 20 male patients (50%) and 20 female patients (50%). Gender-related trends in stroke occurrence are still being debated in the existing literature.…”