Risk of stroke among patients with borderline personality disorder: A nationwide longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with increased stroke risk factors like hypertension and diabetes.
• The direct link between BPD and the incidence of stroke remains under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between borderline personality disorder and the risk of subsequent stroke.
• To quantify the risk of any stroke and ischemic stroke in patients with BPD.

Main Methods:

• A population-based cohort study utilizing the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.
• 5,969 patients with BPD and 23,876 age- and sex-matched controls were followed from 2002-2009 to 2011.
• Cox regression models were employed to analyze stroke risk, adjusting for demographic and clinical factors.

Main Results:

• Borderline personality disorder was significantly associated with an increased risk of any stroke (HR: 4.82) and ischemic stroke (HR: 5.67).
• Sensitivity analyses excluding the first year of follow-up confirmed these findings, with HRs of 3.44 for any stroke and 4.75 for ischemic stroke.
• The results indicate a substantial elevation in stroke vulnerability for individuals with BPD.

Conclusions:

• Patients with borderline personality disorder exhibit an elevated vulnerability to developing subsequent stroke, especially ischemic stroke.
• Further research is necessary to elucidate the specific biological and behavioral mechanisms underlying this increased risk.