Study of the propensity for hemorrhage in Hispanic Americans with stroke.
OBJECTIVE
Multiple sources document a higher proportion of intraparenchymal hemorrhage (HEM) in Hispanic (HIS) than white (WHI) patients with stroke. We sought an explanation for this phenomenon through analysis of multiple variables in our hospital-based stroke population.


METHODS
We performed univariate and multivariate analysis of risk factors in our HIS and WHI patients with stroke to identify differences that might account for a greater propensity for HEM in HIS patients.


RESULTS
Multivariate analysis disclosed that the risk of HEM correlated significantly with untreated hypertension (HTN), HIS ethnicity, and heavy alcohol intake. A negative correlation was found for hyperlipidemia and diabetes. Our HIS patients with stroke had a greater prevalence of untreated HTN and heavy alcohol intake, with HIS men being at greatest risk.


CONCLUSIONS
HIS patients with stroke in our hospital-based population appear relatively more prone to HEM than do WHI patients. This risk correlates with a greater likelihood of having untreated HTN and heavy alcohol intake, more so for HIS men. The explanation appears to be a relative lack of health awareness and involvement in our health care system. The possibility that HIS ethnicity itself constitutes a biological risk factor for HEM remains a matter of speculation. Validation of this work with community data should lead to remediation through a community-based effort.
Frey
James L
JL
Division of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, USA. frey007@gmail.com
Jahnke
Heidi K
HK
Goslar
Pamela W
PW
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001130:Arizona / Q000453:epidemiology; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*