The Incidence of Stroke in Indigenous Populations of Countries With a Very High Human Development Index: A Systematic Review Protocol

Background and Aims: Despite known Indigenous health and socioeconomic disadvantage in countries with a Very High Human Development Index, data on the incidence of stroke in these populations are sparse. With oversight from an Indigenous Advisory Board, we will undertake a systematic review of the incidence of stroke in Indigenous populations of developed countries or regions, with comparisons between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations of the same region, though not between different Indigenous populations. Methods: Using PubMed, OVID-EMBASE, and Global Health databases, we will examine population-based incidence studies of stroke in Indigenous adult populations of developed countries published 1990-current, without language restriction. Non-peer-reviewed sources, studies including <10 Indigenous People, or with insufficient data to determine incidence, will be excluded. Two reviewers will independently validate the search strategies, screen titles and abstracts, and record reasons for rejection. Relevant articles will undergo full-text screening, with standard data extracted for all studies included. Quality assessment will include Sudlow and Warlow's criteria for population-based stroke incidence studies, the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for risk of bias, and the CONSIDER checklist for Indigenous research. Results: Primary outcomes include crude, age-specific and/or age-standardized incidence of stroke. Secondary outcomes include overall stroke rates, incidence rate ratio and case-fatality. Results will be synthesized in figures and tables, describing data sources, populations, methodology, and findings. Within-population meta-analysis will be performed if, and where, methodologically sound and comparable studies allow this. Conclusion: We will undertake the first systematic review assessing disparities in stroke incidence in Indigenous populations of developed countries. Data outputs will be disseminated to relevant Indigenous stakeholders to inform public health and policy research.

Linking Australian Stroke Clinical Registry data with Australian government Medicare and medication dispensing claims data and the potential for bias

OBJECTIVE

We aim to report the accuracy of linking data from a non-government-held clinical quality registry to national claims data and identify associated sources of systematic bias.

METHODS

Patients with stroke or transient ischaemic attack admitted to hospitals participating in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) were linked with Medicare and medication dispensings through the Australian Medicare enrolment file (MEF). The proportion of registrants in the datasets was calculated and factors associated with a non-merge assessed using multivariable analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 17,980 AuSCR registrants (January 2010 - July 2014) were submitted for linkage (median age 76 years; 46% female; 67% ischaemic stroke); the proportion merged was 97% MEF, 93% Medicare and 95% medication dispensings. Data from registrants born in Asia were less likely to link with the MEF (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 0.20; 95%Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.15, 0.27). Data for those aged 85-plus compared to those under 65 years were less likely to merge with Medicare (aOR 0.25; 95%CI:0.21, 0.30) but more likely to merge with dispensing claims data (aOR: 2.15 (95%CI:1.71, 2.69). Implications for public health: Linkage between the AuSCR, a national clinical quality registry and Commonwealth datasets was achieved and potential sources of bias were identified.

Abstract P38: Pooled Analysis of Long and Short Term Outcomes After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage - International Stroke Outcomes Study (INSTRUCT)

Background: Outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have been rarely examined in large cohorts.

Methods: This is an extension of the International Stroke Outcomes Study (INSTRUCT) pooling 13 ‘ideal’ stroke incidence studies (n=657 with SAH from 1993-2017, median age 56 years; 46% men). The primary outcomes were mortality and functional outcome (mRS score 3-5). Harmonized study factors included age, sex, behaviors (current smoking, alcohol intake), comorbidities (history of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation), stroke severity (e.g. NIHSS score) and year of stroke. In the pooled dataset, we estimated predictors of mortality using Poisson regression, to estimate incidence rate ratio (IRR) at 1 month (11 studies), 1 year (12 studies) and 5 years (7 studies). Generalized equation estimates in the log-binomial family were used to calculate risk ratios (RRs) for predictors of poor functional outcome at 1 month (5 studies) and 1 year (8 studies).

Results: Mortality was 33% at 1 month, 43% at 1 year, and 47% at 5 years (Fig 1). Poor functional outcome was 25% at 1 month and 15% at 1 year (Fig 1). In multivariable analysis, age and stroke severity were associated with mortality at all time points, together with current smoking at 1 and 5 years, and history of hypertension at 5 years (Fig 2). Poor functional outcome was predicted by age (RR 1.03; 95% CI 1.01-1.04) at 1 month and by age (RR 1.04; 95% CI 1.00-1.08) and stroke severity (RR 1.94; 95% CI 1.02-2.87) at 1 year.

Conclusion: Risk factors that predict SAH incidence including hypertension and smoking make outcomes worse. Better management of older patients and those with severe strokes could improve outcomes after SAH.

Abstract P37: Impact of Onset-To-Treatment Time on Hospital Discharge Destination After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage - The REDDISH Study

Background and aims: Rapid access to specialised care improves outcomes after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) but there is limited evidence on the optimal time-to-treatment. We investigated onset-to-treatment time and hospital discharge destination in aSAH.

Methods: Consecutive first-ever aSAH patients were retrospectively identified from multiple overlapping sources in two comprehensive cerebrovascular referral centres between 2010-2016. Onset-to-treatment time (hours from onset of symptoms to treatment to secure aneurysm), clinical characteristics, and neurological complications (NINDS classifications) were extracted by clinical data collectors from medical records. Among survivors, we estimated the effect of continuous onset-to-treatment on hospital discharge destination (i.e. home vs. rehabilitation/other hospital as proxy for functional recovery) using logistic regression with adjustment for gender, treatment type (clipping or coiling), hospital presentation (direct admission or transfer), and severity (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies scale, modified Fisher scale). Non-linear effects were investigated using natural cubic splines.

Results: Among 402 survivors at discharge, there was a strong non-linear effect of onset-to-treatment time on odds of being discharged home compared to discharge to rehabilitation independent of severity, gender, treatment type and transfer (see Figure). The greatest benefit to discharge home was evident with treatment at up to 12.5 hours but the benefit remained at up to 20 hours post-onset.

Conclusions: aSAH Treatment occurring within 12.5 hours led to greater discharge to home. Our use of continuous modelling provides clarity around optimal treatment times for aSAH to guide clinical practice.

Abstract 28: The Representation of Women in Randomized Clinical Trials of Acute Stroke (2010-2020)

Introduction: The inadequate enrollment of women in RCTs represents a threat to trial generalizability and potential inequities in access to novel treatments. We sought to determine whether women were under-enrolled in contemporary acute stroke trials.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE for completed RCTs published in one of nine major journals between 2010 and 2020. Eligible studies were phase 2 or 3 trials undertaken to test therapeutic interventions within one month of stroke onset. For each trial we calculated the proportion of trial participants that were women (PPW). We used Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data to estimate the expected proportion of strokes occurring in women in the underlying stroke populations (PSW). We matched individual estimates from the GBD data to each trial based on geographic location, year, and stroke type. To quantify disparities, we calculated the enrollment disparity difference (EDD), defined as EDD = PSW - PPW. A positive EDD indicates that women were under-represented in the trial. We used random effects meta-analysis to pool individual EDDs and conducted subgroup analyses.

Results: We identified 115 trials that met eligibility criteria. The random effects summary EDD was 0.053 (95% CI = 0.040, 0.053), indicating that women were under-enrolled in acute stroke trials by 5% relative to their representation in the underlying stroke population. However, there was substantial between-trial variability in the EDD (I 2 =84.4%). In subgroup analyses, the EDD was similar across subgroups except for stroke type (figure); trials that only included subarachnoid hemorrhages enrolled women in excess of their representation in the underlying population (summary EDD = -0.117 [95% CI = -0.150, -0.084]).

Conclusions: Overall, women were modestly under-represented in contemporary acute stroke trials compared to their representation among all strokes. Further study is needed to elucidate factors driving sex differences in enrollment between RCTs.

Fatal and Nonfatal Events Within 14 days After Early, Intensive Mobilization Poststroke

OBJECTIVE

This tertiary analysis from A Very Early Rehabilitation Trial (AVERT) examined fatal and nonfatal serious adverse events (SAEs) at 14 days.

METHOD

AVERT was a prospective, parallel group, assessor blinded, randomized international clinical trial comparing mobility training commenced <24 hours poststroke, termed very early mobilization (VEM), to usual care (UC). Primary outcome was assessed at 3 months. Patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke within 24 hours of onset were included. Treatment with thrombolytics was allowed. Patients with severe premorbid disability or comorbidities were excluded. Interventions continued for 14 days or hospital discharge if less. The primary early safety outcome was fatal SAEs within 14 days. Secondary outcomes were nonfatal SAEs classified as neurologic, immobility-related, and other. Mortality influences were assessed using binary logistic regression adjusted for baseline stroke severity (NIH Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score) and age.

RESULTS

A total of 2,104 participants were randomized to VEM (n = 1,054) or UC (n = 1,050) with a median age of 72 years (interquartile range [IQR] 63-80) and NIHSS 7 (IQR 4-12). By 14 days, 48 had died in VEM, 32 in UC, age and stroke severity adjusted odds ratio of 1.76 (95% confidence interval 1.06-2.92, p = 0.029). Stroke progression was more common in VEM. Exploratory subgroup analyses showed higher odds of death in intracerebral hemorrhage and >80 years subgroups, but there was no significant treatment by subgroup interaction. No difference in nonfatal SAEs was found.

CONCLUSION

While the overall case fatality at 14 days poststroke was only 3.8%, mortality adjusted for age and stroke severity was increased with high dose and intensive training compared to usual care. Stroke progression was more common in VEM.

REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12606000185561.

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE

This study provides Class I evidence that very early mobilization increases mortality at 14 days poststroke.

Feasibility of community health workers using a clinical decision support system to screen and monitor non-communicable diseases in resource-poor settings: study protocol

BACKGROUND

It is imperative that coordinated and systematic action is undertaken, at all levels, to minimize the consequences of the growing global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). An integrated multi-disciplinary primary care-based preventive program has the potential to reduce lifestyle-related risk factors contributing to NCDs. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who are community health workers (CHWs), may be employed to screen populations for NCDs in rural India. To enable ASHAs to be supported when they are on their own in the community, we have developed a clinical decision support system (CDSS) "Arogya Sahyog" (a Hindi term meaning 'health assistant') to guide them through the process. Herein, we describe the protocol for testing this CDSS and the associated community-based management program for people with NCDs.

METHODS

This mixed-method study involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches will be conducted in two phases to test: (I) feasibility of the CDSS itself, and (II) feasibility of utilizing the app to develop capacity within the ASHA workforce. First, we will use a semi-structured questionnaire to determine details about the acceptance of using the app, satisfaction with the CDSS, perceived barriers, ideas for improvement, and willingness to use the CDSS. We will also test the usability of this CDSS for the identification of people with hypertension, with or without co-morbidities, by ASHAs and their supervisors. The CDSS will be installed on a tablet and is designed to help ASHAs to screen, provide lifestyle advice, and refer critical patients to primary care physicians. Second, to develop capacity within the ASHA workforce, ASHAs will be taught about NCDs, so they can motivate people to adhere to healthy activities and self-manage their NCDs. We will also test whether this training program improves ASHAs' knowledge about NCDs. We will further evaluate ASHAs' capacity to provide health promotional interventions to patients with, or at risk of, NCDs using the tablet device.

DISCUSSION

The study will enable us to test a CDSS and an educational training program. Specifically, we will test whether the program is user-friendly, easy-to-comprehend, easy-to-deliver, workflow-oriented, and comprehensive. We will determine whether mobilizing this ASHA workforce with the support of a CDSS could result in better management of hypertension and co-morbidities than usual care.

Additive association of knowledge and awareness on control of hypertension: a cross-sectional survey in rural India

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether there is an interaction between knowledge about hypertension and awareness of hypertension on the treatment and control of hypertension in three regions of South India at different stages of epidemiological transition (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/HJH/B426).

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design, we randomly selected villages within each of rural Trivandrum, West Godavari, and Chittoor. Sampling was stratified by age group and sex. We measured blood pressure and administered a questionnaire to determine knowledge and awareness of hypertension. Logistic regression was used to assess associations of awareness and knowledge about hypertension with its treatment and control in participants with hypertension, while examining for statistical interaction.

RESULTS

Among a total of 11 657 participants (50% male; median age 45 years), 3455 had hypertension. In analyses adjusted for age and sex, both knowledge score [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.14 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12--1.17)] and awareness [aOR 104 (95% CI 82--134)] were associated with treatment for hypertension. Similarly, both knowledge score [aOR 1.10; 95% CI (1.08--1.12)] and awareness [aOR 13.4; 95% CI (10.7--16.7)], were positively associated with control of blood pressure in those with hypertension, independent of age and sex. There was an interaction between knowledge and awareness on both treatment and control of hypertension (P of attributable proportion <0.001 for each).

CONCLUSION

Health education to improve knowledge about hypertension and screening programs to improve awareness of hypertension may act in an additive fashion to improve management of hypertension in rural Indian populations.

Linking Registry Data with Australian Medicare And Medication Dispensing Claims Data: Feasibility, Benefits and Limitations

IntroductionRecent advances in Australia mean that it is possible to link national clinical registries with government held administrative datasets. However, formal evaluations of such activities and the potential impact for research are lacking. Objectives and ApproachWe aimed to assess the feasibility and accuracy of linking registrants from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) with the Medicare enrolment file. Following data custodian and ethics approvals, personal linkage identifiers were submitted to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). De-identified data from AuSCR and the AIHW were submitted into the Secure Unified Research Environment and merged using project specific person-based IDs. We calculated the proportion of patients linked with the Medicare enrolment file that were present in the associated Medicare and medication dispensing datasets and the proportion with claims after their date of death. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with a non-merged patient. Results17,980 AuSCR registrants (January 2010-July 2014) were submitted for linkage (median age 76 years; 46% female; 67% ischaemic stroke; 16% TIA). Of these, 93% were merged with Medicare (N=16,648) and 95% with subsidised medication dispensing claims data (N=17,079). In those who died, 127 (0.8%) had one or more Medicare claim and 411 (2.4%) had one or more medications dispensed after their death date. Asian born registrants were less likely to be merged with Medicare (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 0.54; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.40, 0.72) than Australian born registrants. Those aged ≥85 years were less likely to be merged with Medicare data than those aged <65 years (aOR 0.24; 95% CI: 0.19, 0.29) but were more likely to be merged with dispensing data (aOR: 2.22 (95% CI: 1.73, 2.84). Conclusion/ImplicationsLinkage between a national clinical quality registry and the Medicare spine is feasible. These linkages will provide novel insights into post-stroke care.

Association Between Use of Statins and Survival After Stroke: Real-World Data from The Australian Stroke Clinical Registry

IntroductionDespite being recommended in clinical guidelines for secondary prevention of stroke, there are limited real-world data on outcomes associated with use of statins post-stroke. Objectives and ApproachWe aimed to investigate the association between statin use and cardiovascular mortality post-stroke. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (2010-2014), linked with national medication dispensing and mortality data. We observed adult patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) for 1-year following hospital discharge, or until their date of death, whichever occurred first. Statin use, defined as having an available statin dispensing, was assessed daily and treated as a time-varying exposure to account for patients who discontinued or reinitiated statins during follow-up. Multivariable, competing-risks regression, with non-cardiovascular death as the competing risk, was used to investigate the association between statin use and 1-year cardiovascular mortality. ResultsAmong 8363 patients discharged following first-ever ischaemic stroke or TIA (48% aged ≥75 years, 45% female, 20% TIA, median length-of-stay 5 days), 945 died within 1 year, with 763 deaths being cardiovascular-related. The proportion of statin users was 65% at 90 days, 64% at 180 days, and 62% at 1 year. Groups least likely to be statin users at 1-year were women (odds ratio [OR]: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.67-0.85), patients aged <65 years (OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.69-0.92), and those discharged directly home (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.67-0.88). Compared to non-use, use of statins was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality within 1 year overall (sub-distribution hazard ratio [SHR]: 0.40; 95% CI: 0.34-0.46), and in sub-groups of patients with TIA, severe stroke, and advanced age. Conclusion / Implications:Our preliminary data provide evidence of survival benefits associated with post-stroke statin use. Interventions to improve medication adherence may assist in reducing post-stroke mortality.

Longer duration on a Chronic Disease Management plan is associated with long-term adherence to antihypertensive and antithrombotic medications following stroke

Introduction and PurposeChronic Disease Management (CDM) plans are used by general practitioners to manage chronic diseases such as stroke. However, there is limited evidence that being on these plans improve adherence to secondary prevention medications after stroke. We aimed to assess the association of the duration on a CDM plan in improving adherence to secondary prevention medications following stroke. MethodsAustralian survivors of stroke or transient ischaemic attack were participants from the STAND FIRM trial. Patients were individually linked with claims for CDM plans from Medicare and dispensings of secondary prevention medications from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. We estimated (1) duration on a CDM plan based on the timing and Medicare items claimed and (2) the proportion of days that patients would have been covered by these medications (PDC), while accounting for deaths and instances of over-supply. Dosage for each quantity of medication was determined by the regularity in which patients returned for a refill. Logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with ≥80% adherence, up to 3 years after stroke, for each of antihypertensive, antithrombotic and lipid-modifying drugs. ResultsThe median PDC for 563 patients (median age 70yrs; 36% female) ranged from 92% to 95% among the three classes of medications. Approximately 27% did not take up a CDM plan, 33% were on plans for <1.5 years and 40% for 1.5-3 years. Duration on a CDM plan (quintiles) was associated with adherence for antihypertensive (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.18, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.00-1.40, p=0.029) and antithrombotic medications (OR 1.22, 95%CI 1.03-1.46, p=0.024), but not for lipid-lowering medications. ConclusionPeople on a CDM plan for longer had better adherence to antihypertensive and antithrombotic medications in the long-term after stroke. Use and ongoing reviews of CDM plans should be encouraged to improve adherence to secondary prevention medications after stroke.

Association Between Optimal Combination Pharmacotherapy and Survival After Stroke: A Registry and Pharmaceutical Dispensing Study

IntroductionTo prevent further vascular events, prescribing of multiple classes of medications (antihypertensive, antithrombotic and lipid-lowering) is recommended in national clinical guidelines following ischaemic stroke. Objectives and ApproachUsing real-world data, we determined the association between optimal combination pharmacotherapy (supply of all three classes, “optimal pharmacotherapy”) and survival after stroke. We linked a cohort of patients with first-ever ischaemic stroke from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (2010-2014) with national pharmaceutical dispensing and national mortality data. Cox regression was used to determine associations between pharmacotherapy in the first 30 days of stroke with 1-year (from day 31 to 395) all-cause mortality. All analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic (age, sex) and clinical characteristics (stroke severity, discharge destination). ResultsAmong 6684 patients discharged following first-ever ischaemic stroke (median length-of-stay 5 days), 6466 patients who survived to 30 days were included (44% female, median age 74 years). During the first 30 days from discharge, 71.4% received ≥1 medication class, and 32.9% (n=2125) received optimal pharmacotherapy. Patients with optimal pharmacotherapy were older (≥75 years 50.3% vs <75 years 44.5%; p<0.001), discharged directly home (home 58.5% vs other 40.3%; p<0.001) and experienced a less severe stroke (able to walk on admission 46.9% vs 36.4%; p<0.001), than those without optimal pharmacotherapy. Between day 31 and 395, there were 667 deaths; 530 related to cardiovascular disease. Compared to no medication, treatment with two medications was associated with a 42% lower risk of death (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.58; 95%CI: 0.45-0.73); and optimal pharmacotherapy had a 62% lower risk of death (HR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.31-0.47). Survival was similar between those with one or no medication. Conclusion / ImplicationsPatients with ischaemic stroke who received optimal pharmacotherapy within 30-days of admission had greater one-year-survival. Further research is required to understand reasons for sub-optimal pharmacotherapy in these patients.

Regular physical activity postpones age of occurrence of first-ever stroke and improves long-term outcomes

OBJECTIVE

Few data are available on the associations between the level of pre-stroke physical activity and long-term outcomes in patients with stroke. This study is designed to assess the associations between pre-stroke physical activity and age of first-ever stroke occurrence and long-term outcomes.

METHODS

Six hundred twenty-four cases with first-ever stroke were recruited from the Mashhad Stroke Incidence Study a prospective population-based cohort in Iran. Data on Physical Activity Level (PAL) were collected retrospectively and were available in 395 cases. According to the PAL values, subjects were classified as inactive (PAL < 1.70) and active (PAL ≥ 1.70). Age at onset of stroke was compared between active and inactive groups. Using logistic model, we assessed association between pre-stroke physical activity and long-term (5-year) mortality, recurrence, disability, and functional dependency rates. We used multiple imputation to analyze missing data.

RESULTS

Inactive patients (PAL < 1.70) were more than 6 years younger at their age of first-ever-stroke occurrence (60.7 ± 15.5) than active patients (67.0 ± 13.2; p < 0.001). Patients with PAL< 1.7 also had a greater risk of mortality at 1 year [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.31; 95%CI: 1.14-4.67, p = 0.02] and 5 years after stroke (aOR = 1.81; 95%CI: 1.05-3.14, p = 0.03) than patients who were more physically active. Recurrence rate, disability, and functional dependency were not statistically different between two groups. Missing data analysis also showed a higher odds of death at one and 5 years for inactive patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort, we observed a younger age of stroke and a higher odds of 1- and 5-year mortality among those with less physical activity. This is an important health promotion strategy to encourage people to remain physically active.

Patterns of Use and Discontinuation of Secondary Prevention Medications After Stroke

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether certain patient, acute care, or primary care factors are associated with medication initiation and discontinuation in the community after stroke or TIA.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study using prospective data on adult patients with first-ever acute stroke/TIA from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (April 2010 to June 2014), linked with nationwide medication dispensing and Medicare claims data. Medication users were those with ≥1 dispensing in the year postdischarge. Discontinuation was assessed among medication users and defined as having no medication supply for ≥90 days in the year postdischarge. Multivariable competing risks regression, accounting for death during the observation period, was conducted to investigate factors associated with time to medication discontinuation.

RESULTS

Among 17,980 registry patients with stroke/TIA, 91.4% were linked to administrative datasets. Of these, 9,817 adults with first-ever stroke/TIA were included (45.4% female, 47.6% aged ≥75 years, and 11.4% intracerebral hemorrhage). While most patients received secondary prevention medications (79.3% antihypertensive, 81.8% antithrombotic, and 82.7% lipid-lowering medication), between one-fifth and one-third discontinued treatment over the subsequent year postdischarge (20.9% antihypertensive, 34.1% antithrombotic, and 28.5% lipid-lowering medications). Prescription at hospital discharge (sub-hazard ratio [SHR] 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62-0.79), quarterly contact with a primary care physician (SHR 0.62; 95% CI 0.57-0.67), and prescription by a specialist physician (SHR 0.87; 95% CI 0.77-0.98) were all inversely associated with antihypertensive discontinuation.

CONCLUSIONS

Patterns of use of secondary prevention medications after stroke/TIA are not optimal, with many survivors discontinuing treatment within 1 year postdischarge. Improving postdischarge care for patients with stroke/TIA is needed to minimize unwarranted discontinuation.

Sex differences in quality of life after stroke were explained by patient factors, not clinical care: evidence from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Women may receive stroke care less often than men. We examined the contribution of clinical care on sex differences and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after stroke.

METHODS

We included first-ever strokes registered in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (2010-2014) with HRQoL assessed between 90 and 180 days after onset (EQ-5D-3L instrument) that were linked to hospital administrative data (up to 2013). Study factors included sociodemographics, comorbidities, walking ability on admission (stroke severity proxy) and clinical care (e.g. stroke unit care). Responses to the EQ-5D-3L were transformed into a total utility value (-0.516 'worse than death' to 1 'best' health). Quantile regression models, adjusted for confounding factors, were used to determine median differences (MD) in utility scores by sex.

RESULTS

Approximately 60% (6852/11 418) of stroke survivors had an EQ-5D-3L assessment (median 139 days; 44% female). Compared with men, women were older (median age 77.1 years vs. men 71.2 years) and fewer could walk on admission (37.9% vs. men 46.1%, P < 0.001). Women had lower utility values than men, and the difference was explained by age and stroke severity, but not clinical care [MD_{adjusted =} -0.039, 95% confidence interval: -0.056, -0.021]. Poorer HRQoL was observed in younger men (aged <65 years), particularly those with more comorbidities, and in older women (aged ≥75 years).

CONCLUSIONS

Stroke severity and comorbidities contribute to the poorer HRQoL in young men and older women. Further studies are needed to understand age-sex interaction to better inform treatments for different subgroups and ensure evidence-based treatments to reduce the severity of stroke are prioritized.

Hospital Presentations in Long-Term Survivors of Stroke: Causes and Associated Factors in a Linked Data Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A comprehensive understanding of the long-term impact of stroke assists in health care planning. We aimed to determine changes in rates, causes, and associated factors for hospital presentations among long-term survivors of stroke.

METHODS

Person-level data from the AuSCR (Australian Stroke Clinical Registry) during 2009 to 2013 were linked with state-based health department emergency department and hospital admission data. The study cohort included adults with first-ever stroke who survived the first 6 months after discharge from hospital. Annualized rates of hospital presentations (nonadmitted emergency department or admission)/person/year were calculated for 1 to 12 months prior, and 7 to 12 months (inclusive) after hospitalization. Multilevel, negative binomial regression was used to identify associated factors after adjustment for prestroke hospital presentations and stratification for perceived impairment status. Perceived impairments to health were defined according to the subscales and visual analog health status scores on the 5-Dimension European Quality of Life Scale.

RESULTS

There were 7183 adults with acute stroke, 7-month survivors (median age 72 years; 56% male; 81% ischemic, and 42% with impairment at 90-180 days) from 39 hospitals included in this landmark analysis. Annualized presentations/person increased from 0.88 (95% CI, 0.86-0.91) to 1.25 (95% CI, 1.22-1.29) between the prestroke and poststroke periods, with greater rate increases in those with than without perceived impairment (55% versus 26%). Higher presentation rates were most strongly associated with older age (≥85 versus 65 years, incidence rate ratio, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.27-1.82]) and greater comorbidity score (incidence rate ratio, 1.06 [95% CI, 1.02-1.10]), whereas reduced rates were associated with greater social advantage (incidence rate ratio, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.60-0.84]). Poststroke hospital presentations (7-12 months) were most frequently related to recurrent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and sequelae of stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

A large increase in annualized hospital presentation rates after stroke indicates the potential for improved community management and support for this vulnerable patient group.

Stroke incidence and subtypes in Aboriginal people in remote Australia: a healthcare network population-based study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to compare the incidence, subtypes and aetiology of stroke, and in-hospital death due to stroke, between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Central Australia, a remote region of Australia where a high proportion Aboriginal people reside (40% of the population). We hypothesised that the rates of stroke, particularly in younger adults, would be greater in the Aboriginal population, compared with the non-Aboriginal population; we aimed to elucidate causes for any identified disparities.

DESIGN

A retrospective population-based study of patients hospitalised with stroke within a defined region from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2014.

SETTING

Alice Springs Hospital, the only neuroimaging-capable acute hospital in Central Australia, serving a network of 50 healthcare facilities covering 672 000 km².

PARTICIPANTS

161 residents (63.4% Aboriginal) of the catchment area admitted to hospital with stroke.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Rates of first-ever stroke, overall (all events) stroke and in-hospital death.

RESULTS

Of 121 residents with first-ever stroke, 61% identified as Aboriginal. Median onset-age (54 years) was 17 years younger in Aboriginal patients (p<0.001), and age-standardised stroke incidence was threefold that of non-Aboriginal patients (153 vs 51 per 100 000, incidence rate ratio 3.0, 95% CI 2 to 4). The rate ratios for the overall rate of stroke (first-ever and recurrent) were similar. In Aboriginal patients aged <55 years, the incidence of ischaemic stroke was 14-fold greater (95% CI 4 to 45), and intracerebral haemorrhage 19-fold greater (95% CI 3 to 142) than in non-Aboriginal patients. Crude prevalence of diabetes mellitus (70.3% vs 34.0%, p<0.001) and hypercholesterolaemia (68.9% vs 51.1%, p=0.049) was greater, and age-standardised in-hospital deaths were fivefold greater (35 vs 7 per 100 000, 95% CI 2 to 11) in Aboriginal patients than in non-Aboriginal patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Stroke incidence (both subtypes) and in-hospital deaths for remote Aboriginal Australians are dramatically greater than in non-Aboriginal people, especially in patients aged <55 years.

Sex differences in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH): aneurysm characteristics, neurological complications, and outcome

BACKGROUND

Women are over-represented in aSAH cohorts, but whether their outcomes differ to men remains unclear. We examined if sex differences in neurological complications and aneurysm characteristics contributed to aSAH outcomes.

METHODS

In a retrospective cohort (2010-2016) of all aSAH cases across two hospital networks in Australia, information on severity, aneurysm characteristics and neurological complications (rebleed before/after treatment, postoperative stroke < 48 h, neurological infections, hydrocephalus, seizures, delayed cerebral ischemia [DCI], cerebral infarction) were extracted. We estimated sex differences in (1) complications and aneurysm characteristics using chi square/t-tests and (2) outcome at discharge (home, rehabilitation or death) using multinomial regression with and without propensity score matching on prestroke confounders.

RESULTS

Among 577 cases (69% women, 84% treated) aneurysm size was greater in men than women and DCI more common in women than men. In unadjusted log multinomial regression, women had marginally greater discharge to rehabilitation (RRR 1.15 95% CI 0.90-1.48) and similar likelihood of in-hospital death (RRR 1.02 95% CI 0.76-1.36) versus discharge home. Prestroke confounders (age, hypertension, smoking status) explained greater risk of death in women (rehabilitation RRR 1.13 95% CI 0.87-1.48; death RRR 0.75 95% CI 0.51-1.10). Neurological complications (DCI and hydrocephalus) were covariates explaining some of the greater risk for poor outcomes in women (rehabilitation RRR 0.87 95% CI 0.69-1.11; death RRR 0.80 95% CI 0.52-1.23). Results were consistent in propensity score matched models.

CONCLUSION

The marginally poorer outcome in women at discharge was partially attributable to prestroke confounders and complications. Improvements in managing complications could improve outcomes.

Googling the Lifetime Risk of Stroke Around the World

Objective: We aimed to utilize the data on lifetime risk of stroke, from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2016, in combination with open data platforms to create an interactive map for use by clinicians and members of the public. Further, we explore the relationship between life expectancy and lifetime risk of stroke. Design: Enhancing visual display of large volume of data. Setting: Worldwide estimates of the lifetime risk of stroke obtained from the GBD 2016. Participants: None. Intervention: None. Methods: Data were extracted from a portable document format (pdf) copy of the GBD article on the lifetime risk of stroke and exported into the R programming environment (version 3.4.4). These data were merged with (i) the world map boundary, (ii) open data platforms from the World Bank (life expectancy and income), and (ii) open data from the United Nation Population Prospects 2017. Further we plotted the relationship between the adjusted lifetime risk of stroke and life expectancy. Outcomes: The map of the global burden of stroke shows a higher lifetime risk of stroke among high-income countries than in low-income countries (https://gntem3.shinyapps.io/strokeglobal/). The greatest risk was among upper-middle-income countries such as China and Eastern and Central European countries such as Latvia and Romania. The lifetime risk of stroke increased in countries with higher life expectancy (β = 0.48 ± 0.047, 95% confidence interval = 0.390-0.574, R ² = 0.38, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Overall life expectancy is a major driver of the lifetime risk of stroke. The interactive map enables clinicians to search information about the lifetime risk of stroke interactively and navigate by zooming in and out, while still retaining high resolution.

Assuming one dose per day yields a similar estimate of medication adherence in patients with stroke: An exploratory analysis using linked registry data

PURPOSE

Prescribed daily dose (PDD), the number of doses prescribed to be taken per day, is used to calculate medication adherence using pharmacy claims data. PDD can be substituted by (i) one dose per day (1DD), (ii) an estimate based on the 75th percentile of days taken by patients to refill a script (PDD₇₅ ) or (iii) the World Health Organization's defined daily dose (DDD). We aimed to compare these approaches for estimating the duration covered by medications and whether this affects calculated 1-year adherence to antihypertensive medications post-stroke.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of prospective cohort data from the ongoing Australian Stroke Clinical Registry linked with pharmacy claims data. Adherence was calculated as the proportion of days covered (PDC) for 1DD, PDD₇₅ and DDD. Differences were assessed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.

RESULTS

Among 12 628 eligible patients with stroke, 10 057 (80%) were prescribed antihypertensive medications in the year after hospital discharge (78.2% aged ≥65 years, 45.2% female). Overall, the 75th percentile of patient time until next medication refill was 39 days. The greatest variations in dose regimens, estimated using person- and dose-level refill times, were for beta blockers (11.4% taking two tablets/day). There were comparable levels of adherence between 1DD and the PDD₇₅ (median PDC 91.0% vs 91.2%; P = 0.70), but adherence was slightly higher using DDD (92.3%; both P < 0.001). However, this would represent a clinically nonsignificant difference.

CONCLUSION

Adherence to antihypertensive medications shows similar estimates across standard measures of dosage in patients during the first year after an acute stroke.

Sex Differences in Disease Profiles, Management, and Outcomes Among People with Atrial Fibrillation After Ischemic Stroke: Aggregated and Individual Participant Data Meta-Analyses

Objectives: To examine sex differences in disease profiles, management, and survival at 1 and 5 years after ischemic stroke (IS) among people with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: We performed a systematic literature search of reports of AF at IS onset according to sex. We undertook an individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) of nine population-based stroke incidence studies conducted in Australasia, Europe, and South America (1993–2014). Poisson regression was used to estimate women:men mortality rate ratios (MRRs). Study-specific MRRs were combined using random effects meta-analysis.

Results: In our meta-analysis based on aggregated data from 101 studies, the pooled AF prevalence was 23% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 22%–25%) in women and 17% (15%–18%) in men. Our IPDMA is of 1,862 IS-AF cases, with women (79.2 ± 9.1, years) being older than men (76.5 ± 9.5, years). Crude pooled mortality rate was greater for women than for men (1-year MRR 1.24; 1.01–1.51; 5-year 1.12; 1.03–1.22). However, the sex difference was greatly attenuated after accounting for age, prestroke function, and stroke severity (1-year 1.09; 0.97–1.22; 5-year 0.98; 0.84–1.16). Women were less likely to have anticoagulant prescription at discharge (odds ratio [OR] 0.94; 95% CI: 0.89–0.98) than men when pooling IPDMA and aggregated data.

Conclusions: AF was more prevalent after IS among women than among men. Among IS-AF cases, women were less likely to receive anticoagulant agents at discharge; however, greater mortality rate in women was mostly attributable to prestroke factors. Further information needs to be collected in population-based studies to understand the reasons for lower treatment of AF in women.