Sex differences in risk factor distribution, severity, and outcome of ischemic stroke.

The aim of the study was to identify differences in baseline characteristics and outcomes of men and women with acute ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke was confirmed by CT scan or autopsy in patients admitted to the 2nd Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, Poland from 1995 to 2007. Male and female patients were compared for risk factors, state of activity prior to stroke, stroke type according to Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project classification, diagnostic test findings, and early 30-day outcome. Data on 1379 women and 1155 men admitted with ischemic stroke were analyzed. The mean age of female and male patients was 74.3 and 68.8 years, respectively. Women were more often disabled prior to stroke, hypertensive, diagnosed with atrial fibrillation or heart failure, and had impaired consciousness at admission, whereas men were more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol and have a history of myocardial infarction or transient ischemic attack. A higher percentage of female stroke patients suffered from total anterior circulation syndrome than males (21.2% and 14.0%, respectively). Internal carotid artery stenosis over 70% was reported in 10.8% ofwomen and 19.1% of men. The 30-day mortality and poor outcome rates were significantly higher in women than men (17.2% vs. 13.1% and 59.9% vs. 46.2%). After adjusting for casemix in multivariate analysis, female sex was independently associated with a higher risk of an early poor outcome. In conclusion, the risk factor distribution, clinical characteristics, diagnostic test findings, and early outcomes were different between female and male ischemic stroke patients. Female sex was associated with poorer prognosis, indicating that more intensive acute and long-term global care may be needed to improve the outcome among female stroke patients.