Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of ischemic stroke patients divided by sex

Number of patients

2,662

2,807

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)

Age Mean ± SD

65.13 ± 13.372

69.26 ± 15.657

< 0.001*^b

Race: No (%)

White

2,090 (78.5)

2,198 (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

1,364 (51.2)

1,391 (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

2,056 (77.2)

2,250 (80.2)

0.008*^a

Migraine

29 (1.1)

105 (3.7)

< 0.001*^a

Obesity

1,148 (43.1)

1,163 (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

1,763 (66.2)

2,031 (72.4)

< 0.001*^a

Cholesterol Reducer

1,227 (46.1)

1,201 (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

1,677 (74.0)

1,612 (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

2,453 (92.1)

2,434 (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

1,184 (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

2,085 (79.1)

2,212 (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)

1,043 (42.1)

< 0.001*^a

Diastolic Blood Pressure ≥ 80 mmHg

1,576 (59.3)

1,312 (46.8)

< 0.001*^a