Trends in Transient Ischemic Attack Hospitalizations in the United States

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a major predictor of subsequent stroke. No study has assessed nation-wide trends in hospitalization for TIA in the United States.

Temporal trends in hospitalization for TIA (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 435.0-435.9) from 2000 to 2010 were assessed among adults aged ≥25 years using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Age-, sex-, and race/ethnic-specific TIA hospitalization rates were calculated using the weighted number of hospitalizations as the numerator and the US population as the denominator. Age-adjusted rates were standardized to the 2000 US Census population. From 2000 to 2010, age-adjusted TIA hospitalization rates decreased from 118 to 83 per 100 000 (overall rate reduction, -29.7%). Age-specific TIA hospitalization rates increased for individuals aged 24 to 44 years (10-11 per 100 000), but decreased for individuals aged 45 to 64 (74 to 65 per 100 000), 65 to 84 (398 to 245 per 100 000), and ≥85 years (900 to 619 per 100 000). Blacks had the highest age-adjusted yearly hospitalization rates, followed by Hispanics and whites (124, 82, and 67 per 100 000 in 2010). Rates slightly increased for blacks, but decreased for Hispanics and whites. Compared to women, age-adjusted TIA hospitalization rates were lower and declined more steeply in men (132 to 89 per 100 000 versus 134 to 97 per 100 000).

Although overall TIA hospitalizations have decreased in the United States, the reduction has been more pronounced among older individuals, men, whites, and Hispanics. These findings highlight the need to target risk-factor control among women, blacks, and individuals aged <45 years.