Sex Differences in Stroke Incidence in a Portuguese Community-Based Study

Stroke is a major health problem. Several studies reported sex differences regarding stroke. We aim to study this issue in an incidence stroke study.

Data were retrieved from a community-based prospective register of patients that had a first ever stroke in a life time between October 2009 and September 2011. We studied sex differences regarding demographic data, vascular risk factors, stroke type, stroke severity (NIHSS), disability at 28days (modified Rankin scale (mRS)), and case fatality at 30 and 90days.

From 720 stroke patients, 45.3% were men. Women were older (75.0 ± 13.6 versus 67.2 ± 14.9 years), had a worse premorbid mRS (39.3% versus 25.5%, P < .001), and a higher prevalence of hypertension (P = .004) and atrial fibrillation (P < .001). Previous myocardial infarction was more frequent in men (P = .001), as well as smoking habits (P < .001). Ischemic stroke was more common in women than men (87.6% versus 81.3%, P = .038). The 28 days' outcome was worse in women (mRS ≥ 2, 77.2% versus 70.6%, P = .044). No differences were found in initial stroke severity (median NIHSS = 4) and case fatality at 30 and 90days, after adjusting for age and premorbid mRS.

No differences were found in stroke initial severity and mortality at 30 and 90days between men and women, despite the sex differences pertaining to the stroke profile-age, vascular risk factors, stroke type, and outcome. Our results are somewhat discrepant from those described in the literature; more research is needed to understand if this may be due to changes in stroke standard of care.