Weil, Erika L, Ding, Lili, Khoury, Jane C, Kissela, Brett M, Alwell, Kathleen, Woo, Daniel, De Los Rios La Rosa, Felipe, Mackey, Jason, Ferioli, Simona, Mistry, Eva, Demel, Stacie L, Coleman, Elisheva R, Jasne, Adam S, Slavin, Sabreena J, Walsh, Kyle, Star, Michael, Haverbusch, Mary, and Kleindorfer, Dawn O
Introduction:Primary prevention reduces the burden of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), yet cerebrovascular risk factors (RF) remain underdiagnosed in certain populations. We aimed to identify predictors of undiagnosed RF among patients with cerebrovascular ischemic events in a large bi-racial population.Methods:Individuals 20 years and older with an incident TIA or AIS from the population-based Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky 2015 stroke study period were screened for inclusion. We included all hospital ascertained, physician-verified cases of AIS and TIAs. Outpatient and ED-only cases were excluded. Abstracted medical record data included determination of newly diagnosed hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia (HLD) or atrial fibrillation (AF). Multivariable models were used to identify predictors for each undiagnosed RF. Model variables included: age, sex, race, insurance status and number of cerebrovascular RF (additionally including coronary artery disease and smoking).Results:A total of 1604 ischemic events were included (1485 stroke, 119 TIA) with 52.9% female; 22.4% Black; median age 70 (IQR 59, 82)). Only 6% (n=102) had no history of RF. The prevalence of each undiagnosed RF was: HTN 4.1%; HLD 7.9%; DM 3.1%; AF 3.2%. In unadjusted bivariate analysis, uninsured/unknown status was predictive of undiagnosed HTN (OR = 3.97, 95% CI 1.48, 10.68; p=.006) and HLD (OR=5.53, 95% CI 2.68, 11.4; p<.0001). After adjustment, insurance status remained a predictor for only undiagnosed HLD (Table 1). No relationship was found with race.Conclusions:The most consistent predictor for an undiagnosed RF was absence of other RF and lack of insurance, both suggestive of suboptimal cardiovascular screening in this population. Further studies assessing known but undertreated RF and socioeconomic factors could be of benefit.