title: Risk factors for acute stroke among South Asians compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies of racial/ethnic variations in stroke rarely consider the South Asian population, one of the fastest growing sub-groups in the United States. This study compared risk factors for stroke among South Asians with those for whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 3290 stroke patients were analyzed to examine risk differences among the four racial/ethnic groups. Data on 3290 patients admitted to a regional stroke center were analyzed to examine risk differences for ischemic stroke (including subtypes of small and large vessel disease) among South Asians, whites, African Americans and Hispanics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  South Asians were younger and had higher rates of diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels than other race/ethnicities. Prevalence of diabetic and antiplatelet medication use, as well as the incidence of small-artery occlusion ischemic stroke was also higher among South Asians. South Asians were almost a decade younger and had comparable socioeconomic levels as whites; however, their stroke risk factors were comparable to that of African Americans and Hispanics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Observed differences in stroke may be explained by dietary and life style choices of South Asian-Americans, risk factors that are potentially modifiable. Future population and epidemiologic studies should consider growing ethnic minority groups in the examination of the nature, outcome, and medical care profiles of stroke.
authors.affiliation: Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America.
authors.forename: Tefera
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gezmu
authors.affiliation: Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dona
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Rutgers-School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kitaw
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demissie
authors.affiliation: Rutgers-School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: The New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and Seton Hall University, Edison, New Jersey, United States of America.
authors.forename: Martin S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Gizzi
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose