Different vascular risk factor profiles in ischemic stroke subtypes: a study from the "Sagrat Cor Hospital of Barcelona Stroke Registry"

To characterize the vascular risk factor profiles in different subtypes of ischemic stroke. Material and methods - The study population consisted of 1 473 consecutive ischemic stroke patients collected in a prospective stroke registry. The prevalence of vascular risk factors in each stroke subtype wa s analyzed independently and in comparison with other subtypes of stroke po oled together by means of univariate analysis and logistic regression model s. Results Hypertension was present in 52% of patients followed by atrial f ibrillation in 27% and diabetes in 20"/o. The pattern of risk factors assoc iated with atherothrombotic stroke included chronic obstructive pulmonary d isease (COPD) (odds ratio [OR] = 2.63), hypertension (OR = 2.55), diabetes (OR = 2.26), transient ischemic attack (OR = 1.61), and age (OR = 1.03). Pr evious cerebral hemorrhage (OR =4.72), hypertension (OR =4.29), obesity (OR = 2.45), and diabetes (OR = 1.73) were strong predictors of lacunar stroke . In the case of cardioembolic stroke, atrial fibrillation (OR =22.24), val vular heart disease (OR = 10.97), and female gender (OR = 1.66) occurred mo re frequently among patients with this stroke subtype than among the other stroke subtypes combined. Conclusion - Different potentially modifiable vas cular risk factor profiles were identified for each subtype of ischemic str oke, particularly COPD in the case of atherothrombotic stroke and previous cerebral hemorrhage and hypertension in the case of lacunar infarction.