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Diagnostic evaluation for patients with ischemic stroke: are there sex differences?
Emi Watanabe1, Norrina B Allen, Jackie Dostal
1Section of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn., USA.
Cerebrovascular Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 20, 2009
Summary
This study found no significant sex-based differences in diagnostic test utilization for ischemic stroke patients in US academic hospitals. Both women and men received comparable evaluations, including neuroimaging and cardiac tests.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Sex-based disparities in acute coronary syndrome management are known.
- Limited data exists on sex differences in ischemic stroke diagnostic practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex-associated differences in diagnostic test utilization for ischemic stroke patients.
- To compare diagnostic test use between women and men in US academic hospitals.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 1,256 ischemic stroke patients from 32 US academic medical centers (2004).
- Compared utilization of neuroimaging, ECG, carotid ultrasound, and echocardiography between sexes.
- Used multivariate logistic regression to adjust for confounders.
Main Results:
- No significant differences found in the use of neuroimaging (OR=1.37), ECG (OR=1.00), carotid ultrasound (OR=0.93), or echocardiography (OR=0.70) between women and men.
- Results remained consistent after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors.
Conclusions:
- Women and men receive comparable diagnostic evaluations for ischemic stroke in US academic hospitals.
- Sex is not associated with differences in diagnostic test utilization for ischemic stroke patients.
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