Risk Factors for Acute Stroke among South Asians Compared to Other Racial/Ethnic Groups |
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Authors: | Tefera Gezmu Dona Schneider Kitaw Demissie Yong Lin Martin S. Gizzi |
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Affiliation: | 1. Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America.; 2. Rutgers-School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America.; 3. The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and Seton Hall University, Edison, New Jersey, United States of America.; University of Münster, Germany, |
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Abstract: | BackgroundStudies of racial/ethnic variations in stroke rarely consider the South Asian population, one of the fastest growing sub-groups in the United States. This study compared risk factors for stroke among South Asians with those for whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics.MethodsData on 3290 stroke patients were analyzed to examine risk differences among the four racial/ethnic groups. Data on 3290 patients admitted to a regional stroke center were analyzed to examine risk differences for ischemic stroke (including subtypes of small and large vessel disease) among South Asians, whites, African Americans and Hispanics.ResultsSouth Asians were younger and had higher rates of diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels than other race/ethnicities. Prevalence of diabetic and antiplatelet medication use, as well as the incidence of small-artery occlusion ischemic stroke was also higher among South Asians. South Asians were almost a decade younger and had comparable socioeconomic levels as whites; however, their stroke risk factors were comparable to that of African Americans and Hispanics.DiscussionObserved differences in stroke may be explained by dietary and life style choices of South Asian-Americans, risk factors that are potentially modifiable. Future population and epidemiologic studies should consider growing ethnic minority groups in the examination of the nature, outcome, and medical care profiles of stroke. |
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