Ethnic differences in ischemic stroke of working age in northern Israel.
BACKGROUND
There are currently no comparative data about ethnic differences in ischemic stroke in Arab and Jewish populations.


METHODS
Data on 727 consecutive Arab and Jewish patients of working age (<or=65 years) with stroke were compared for risk profile, etiology, subtyping, and immediate functional outcome.


RESULTS
The mean age was 59.4 +/- 8.2 years for the Jewish and 53.7 +/- 8.6 years for the Arab patients (P = .03). Higher prevalence of diabetes was found in the Arab patients after adjustment by age, sex, and main vascular risk factors (P < .0001). After adjustment, a higher prevalence of normal transesophageal echocardiography results in the Arab population was found. Small vessel disease-related strokes were significantly more frequent in the Arab patients, whereas large vessel disease-related strokes and strokes resulting from multiple causes were significantly more frequent in the Jewish patients. No correlations were found between the high prevalence of diabetes (or any other examined factor) and the predominance of small vessel disease-related strokes in the Arab patients and large vessel disease-related strokes in the Jewish patients. There was no difference found in treatment or outcome between the Arab and the Jewish patients.


CONCLUSIONS
There are substantial differences in the risk profiles and subtyping of strokes between Arab and Jewish patients of working age.
Telman
Gregory
G
Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel. g_telman@rambam.health.gov.i
Kouperberg
Efim
E
Sprecher
Elliot
E
Yarnitsky
David
D
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018912:Arabs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D007585:Jews / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology*