The changing risk factor profile of participants enrolled in a secondary stroke prevention trial: Vitamin intervention for stroke prevention.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if the stroke risk factor profile of participants in a large, multicenter secondary stroke prevention trial changed over the recruitment period.


METHODS
The 3,680 participants in the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention (VISP) were categorized into four groups by enrollment date. Baseline patient characteristics and stroke risk factors were compared across groups.


RESULTS
Hypertension and hypercholesterolemia management improved but prevalence of three major stroke risk factors did not change. Patients enrolled later had better Mini-Mental State and lower NIH Stroke Scale scores, higher multivitamin use, lower prevalence of cortical infarctions, cardiac symptoms and prior stroke, and lower serum creatinine levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Those participants enrolled in the later recruitment periods had a different risk factor profile and risk factors were managed differently compared to those enrolled earlier.
Howard
Virginia J
VJ
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA. vjhoward@uab.edu
Furie
Karen L
KL
Wang
Chin-Hua
CH
Sides
Elizabeth G
EG
Toole
James F
JF
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014280:Triglycerides; D014815:Vitamins; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D005492:Folic Acid; D003404:Creatinine