Racial differences in stroke recurrence rate following initial lacunar infarct

One-hundred fourteen black patients and 50 white patients who had suffered an initial lacunar infarct were retrospectively analyzed to determine the incidence of clinical stroke recurrence within 12 months of the initial stroke. Of the 114 black patients, 35 had recurrent stroke (31%). Of the recurrent stroke, 27 were lacunar infarcts and eight were nonlacunar. Utilization of aspirin at a maximal dose of 325 mg/d did not reduce stroke recurrence. Of the 50 white patients, four had recurrent strokes (8%). Of these, only one represented lacunar infarct and three were nonlacunar. All the black (35) and white (four) lacunar stroke patients who suffered stroke recurrence were hypertensive and had been hypertensive for more than 8 years; they also had evidence of end-organ damage consisting of hypertensive retinopathy and left ventricular hypertrophy or had episodes of congestive heart failure.