Ten-Year Review of Antihypertensive Prescribing Practices After Stroke and the Associated Disparities From the Florida Stroke Registry.

BACKGROUND: Guideline-based hypertension management is integral to the prevention of stroke. We examine trends in antihypertensive medications prescribed after stroke and assess how well a prescriber's blood pressure (BP) medication choice adheres to clinical practice guidelines (BP-guideline adherence). METHODS AND RESULTS: The FSR (Florida Stroke Registry) uses statewide data prospectively collected for all acute stroke admissions. Based on established guidelines, we defined optimal BP-guideline adherence using the following hierarchy of rules: (1) use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker as first-line antihypertensive among diabetics; (2) use of thiazide-type diuretics or calcium channel blockers among Black patients; (3) use of beta blockers among patients with compelling cardiac indication; (4) use of thiazide, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker, or calcium channel blocker class as first line in all others; (5) beta blockers should be avoided as first line unless there is a compelling cardiac indication. A total of 372 254 cases from January 2010 to March 2020 are in the FSR with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or subarachnoid hemorrhage; 265 409 with complete data were included in the final analysis. Mean age was 70±14 years; 50% were women; and index stroke subtypes were 74% acute ischemic stroke, 11% intracerebral hemorrhage, 11% transient ischemic attack, and 4% subarachnoid hemorrhage. BP-guideline adherence to each specific rule ranged from 48% to 74%, which is below quality standards of 80%, and was lower among Black patients (odds ratio, 0.7 [95% CI, 0.7-0.83]; P<0.001) and those with atrial fibrillation (odds ratio, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.50-0.56]; P<0.001) and diabetes (odds ratio, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.61-0.68]; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This large data set demonstrates consistently low rates of BP-guideline adherence over 10 years. There is an opportunity for monitoring hypertensive management after stroke.

A 10-year review of antihypertensive prescribing practices after stroke and the associated disparities from the Florida Stroke Registry.

Background: Guideline based hypertension management is integral to the prevention of stroke. We examine trends in antihypertensive medications prescribed after stroke and assess how well a prescribers' blood pressure medication choice adheres to clinical practice guidelines (Prescribers'-Choice Adherence). Methods: The Florida Stroke registry (FSR) utilizes statewide data prospectively collected for all acute stroke admissions. Based on established guidelines we defined optimal Prescribers'-Choice Adherence using the following hierarchy of rules: 1) use of an angiotensin inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) as first-line antihypertensive among diabetics; 2) use of thiazide-type diuretics or calcium channel blockers (CCB) among African-American patients; 3) use of beta-adrenergic blockers (BB) among patients with compelling cardiac indication (CCI) 4) use of thiazide, ACEI/ARB or CCB class as first-line in all others; 5) BB should be avoided as first line unless CCI. RESULTS: A total of 372,254 cases from January 2010 to March 2020 are in FSR with a diagnosis of acute ischemic, hemorrhagic stroke, transient ischemic attack or subarachnoid hemorrhage; 265,409 with complete data were included in the final analysis. Mean age 70 +/-14 years, 50% female, index stroke subtype of 74% acute ischemic stroke and 11% intracerebral hemorrhage. Prescribers'-Choice Adherence to each specific rule ranged from 48-74% which is below quality standards of 85%. There were race-ethnic disparities with only 49% Prescribers choice Adherence for African Americans patients. Conclusion: This large dataset demonstrates consistently low rates of Prescribers'-Choice Adherence over 10 years. There is an opportunity for quality improvement in hypertensive management after stroke.

Mechanical Thrombectomy Access for All? Challenges in Increasing Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the United States.

Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is the most effective treatment for selected patients with an acute ischemic stroke due to emergent large vessel occlusions (LVOs). There is an urgent need to identify and address challenges in access to MT to maximize the numbers of patients who can benefit from this treatment. Barriers in access to MT include delays in evaluation and accurate diagnosis of LVO leading to inappropriate triage, logistical delays related to availability of facilities and trained interventionalists, and financial hurdles that affect treatment reimbursement. Collection of regional data related to these barriers is critical to better understand current access gaps and a measurable access score to thrombectomy could be useful to plan local public health intervention.

Adherence to Acute Care Measures Affects Mortality in Patients with Ischemic Stroke: The Florida Stroke Registry.

OBJECTIVES: How race/ethnic disparities in acute stroke care contribute to disparities in outcomes is not well-understood. We examined the relationship between acute stroke care measures with mortality within the first year and 30-day hospital readmission by race/ethnicity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries age ≥65 with ischemic stroke in 2010-2013 treated at 66 hospitals in the Florida Stroke Registry. Stroke care metrics included intravenous Alteplase treatment, in-hospital antithrombotic therapy, DVT prophylaxis, discharge antithrombotic therapy, anticoagulation therapy, statin use, and smoking cessation counseling. We used mixed logistic models to assess the associations between stroke care and mortality (in-hospital, 30-day, 6-month, 1-year post-stroke) and hospital readmission by race/ethnicity, adjusting for demographics, stroke severity, and vascular risk factors. RESULTS: Among 14,100 ischemic stroke patients in the full study population (73% white, 11% Black, 15% Hispanic), mortality was 3% in-hospital, 12% at 30d, 21% at 6m, 26% at 1y, and 15% had a hospital readmission within 30 days. Patients who received antithrombotics early and at discharge had lower mortality at all time points, and the protective association for early antithrombotic use was strongest among whites. Eligible patients who received statin therapy at discharge had decreased 6m and 1y mortality, but specifically among minority groups. Statin therapy was associated with lower 30-day hospital readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Acute stroke care measures, particularly antithrombotic use and statin therapy, were associated with reduced odds of long-term mortality. The benefits of these acute care measures were less likely among Hispanic patients. Results underscore the importance of optimizing acute stroke care for all patients.

Preserving stroke care during the COVID-19 pandemic: Potential issues and solutions.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires drastic changes in allocation of resources, which can affect the delivery of stroke care, and many providers are seeking guidance. As caregivers, we are guided by 3 distinct principles that will occasionally conflict during the pandemic: (1) we must ensure the best care for those stricken with COVID-19, (2) we must provide excellent care and advocacy for patients with cerebrovascular disease and their families, and (3) we must advocate for the safety of health care personnel managing patients with stroke, with particular attention to those most vulnerable, including trainees. This descriptive review by a diverse group of experts in stroke care aims to provide advice by specifically addressing the potential impact of this pandemic on (1) the quality of the stroke care delivered, (2) ethical considerations in stroke care, (3) safety and logistic issues for providers of patients with stroke, and (4) stroke research. Our recommendations on these issues represent our best opinions given the available information, but are subject to revision as the situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. We expect that ongoing emergent research will offer additional insights that will provide evidence that could prompt the modification or removal of some of these recommendations.

Poststroke Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Recurrent Stroke in Patients With Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cognitive impairment occurs in 20%-40% of stroke patients and is a predictor of long-term morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aim to determine the association between poststroke cognitive impairment and stroke recurrence risk, in patients with anterior versus posterior circulation intracranial stenosis. METHODS: This is a post-hoc analysis of the Stenting and Aggressive Medical Therapy for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial. The primary predictor was poststroke cognitive function measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) at 3-6 months and the primary outcome was recurrent ischemic stroke. We used univariate and multivariable cox-regression models to determine the associations between MOCA at 3-6 months and recurrent stroke. RESULTS: Of the 451 patients enrolled in SAMMPRIS, 393 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of the sample (in years) was 59.5 ± 11.3, 62.6% (246 of 393) were men. Fifty patients (12.7%) had recurrent ischemic stroke during a mean follow up of 2.7 years. The 3-6 month MOCA score was performed on 351 patients. In prespecified multivariable models, there was an association between 3 and 6 month MOCA and recurrent stroke (hazard ratio [HR] per point increase .93 95% confidence interval [CI] .88-.99, P = .040). This effect was present in anterior circulation stenosis (adjusted HR per point increase .92 95% CI .85-0.99, P = .022) but not in posterior circulation artery stenosis (adjusted HR per point increase 1.00 95% .86-1.16, P = .983). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we found weak associations and trends between MoCA at 3-6 months and stroke recurrence but more notable and stronger associations in certain subgroups. Since our study is underpowered, larger studies are needed to validate our findings and determine the mechanism(s) behind this association.

Race-Ethnic Disparities in 30-Day Readmission After Stroke Among Medicare Beneficiaries in the Florida Stroke Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To examine racial/ethnic disparities in 30-day all-cause readmission after stroke. METHODS: Thirty-day all-cause readmission was compared by race/ethnicity among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged for ischemic stroke from hospitals in the Florida Stroke Registry from 2010 to 2013. We fit a Cox proportional hazards model that censored for death and adjusted for age, sex, length of stay, discharge home, and comorbidities to assess racial/ethnic differences in readmission. RESULTS: Among 16,952 stroke patients (54% women, 75% white, 8% black, and 15% Hispanic), 30-day all-cause readmission was 15% (17.2% for blacks, 16.7% for Hispanics, 14.4% for whites, and 14.7% for others; P = .003). There was a median of 11 days between discharge and first readmission. In adjusted analyses, there was no significant difference in readmission for blacks (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.33), Hispanics (1.00, .90-1.13), and those of other race/ethnicity (.91, .71-1.16) compared with whites. Nearly 1 in 4 readmissions were attributable to acute cerebrovascular events: 16.6% ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, 1.5% hemorrhagic stroke, and 5.2% cerebral artery interventions. Interventions were more common among whites and those of other race than blacks and Hispanics (P = .029). Readmission due to pneumonia or urinary tract infection was 8.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Readmissions attributable to acute cerebrovascular events were common and generally occurred within 2 weeks of hospital discharge. Racial/ethnic disparities were present in readmissions for arterial interventions. Our results underscore the importance of postdischarge transitional care and the need for better secondary prevention strategies after ischemic stroke, particularly among minority populations.

Disparities and Temporal Trends in Stroke Care Outcomes in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: The FLiPER-AF Stroke Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac cause of ischemic stroke. However, the relation between AF and stroke care outcomes in diverse populations is understudied. We aimed to evaluate sex and race-ethnic disparities associated with AF in hospital stroke outcomes utilizing data from the FLorida PuErto Rico Atrial Fibrillation (FLiPER-AF) Stroke Study. METHODS: The study included 104,308 ischemic stroke cases with available information on AF status enrolled in a state-wide stroke registry from 2010 to 2016. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed to evaluate the association between AF and stroke outcomes and the modification effects on the associations by sex and by race-ethnicity, adjusted for socio-demographic status, vascular risk factors and stroke severity. RESULTS: AF was present in 23% of ischemic stroke cases. AF was associated with worse disability at discharge (OR=1.11, 95% CI, 1.04-1.18), less discharge to home (OR=0.89, 0.85-0.92), and longer length of hospital stay (LOS>6 days, OR=1.53, 1.46-1.60). Interaction analyses showed that the association between AF and less discharge to home was stronger in women than men (p for interaction <0.001), as well as in FL-whites than in FL-blacks, FL-Hispanics or PR-Hispanics (p for interaction=0.002). The association between AF and prolonged LOS was more prominent in PR-Hispanics than in FL-blacks, FL-Hispanics, or FL-whites (p for interaction <0.001). From 2010 to 2016, the effects of AF on hospital length of stay attenuated (p for interaction<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: AF was associated with poor disability at discharge, less discharge to home, and prolonged hospital length of stay for acute stroke care. The effect of AF on length of stay attenuated over time. Sex and race-ethnic disparities were observed in the effect of AF on being less discharge to home and prolonged hospital stay. Further research is needed to identify and modify the biologic and systems of care contributors to these disparities.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Mortality Among Medicare Beneficiaries in the FL - PR CR eSD Study.

Background Racial/ethnic disparities in acute stroke care may impact stroke outcomes. We compared outcomes by race/ethnicity among elderly Medicare beneficiaries in hospitals participating in the FL-PR CReSD (Florida-Puerto Rico Collaboration to Reduce Stroke Disparities) registry with those in hospitals not participating in any quality improvement programs (non- QI ) in Florida and Puerto Rico (PR). Methods and Results The population included fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries age 65+ in Florida and PR , discharged with primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke ( International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification [ICD-9-CM], codes 433, 434, 436) in 2010-2013. We used mixed logistic models to assess racial/ethnic differences in outcomes (in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality, and 30-day readmission) for CR e SD and non- QI hospitals, adjusted for demographic and clinical characteristics. The study included 62 CR e SD hospitals (N=44 013, 84% white, 9% black, 4% Florida Hispanic, 1% PR Hispanic) and 113 non- QI hospitals (N=14 422, 78% white, 7% black, 5% Florida Hispanic, 8% PR Hispanic). For patients treated at CR e SD hospitals, there were no differences in risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality by race/ethnicity; blacks had lower 30-day mortality versus whites (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.77-0.97), but higher 30-day readmission (hazard ratio, 1.09; 1.00-1.18) and 1-year mortality (odds ratio, 1.13; 1.04-1.23); Florida Hispanics had lower 30-day readmission (hazard ratio, 0.87; 0.78-0.98). PR Hispanic and black stroke patients treated at non- QI hospitals had higher risk-adjusted in-hospital, 30-day and 1-year mortality, but similar 30-day readmission versus whites treated in non- QI hospitals. Conclusions Disparities in outcomes were less common in CR e SD than non- QI hospitals, suggesting the benefits of quality improvement programs, particularly those focusing on racial/ethnic disparities.

Hispanic Secondary Stroke Prevention Initiative Design: Study Protocol and Rationale for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Hispanic-Latino populations face a disproportionate stroke burden and are less likely to have sufficient control over stroke risk factors in comparison with other ethnic populations. A promising approach to improving chronic health outcomes has been the use of community health workers (CHWs). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a CHW intervention among Latino patients at risk of recurrent stroke. METHODS: The Hispanic Secondary Stroke Prevention Initiative (HiSSPI) is a randomized clinical trial of 300 Latino participants from South Florida who have experienced a stroke within the last 5 years. Participants randomized into the CHW intervention arm receive health education and assistance with health care navigation and social services through home visits and phone calls. The intervention also includes a mHealth component in which participants also receive daily text messages (short message service). The primary outcome is change in systolic blood pressure at 12 months. Other secondary outcomes include changes in low-density lipoprotein, glycated hemoglobin, and medication adherence. RESULTS: Study enrollment began in 2015 and will be completed by the end of 2018. The first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2020. CONCLUSIONS: HiSSPI is one of the first randomized controlled trials to examine CHW-facilitated stroke prevention and will provide rigorous evidence on the impact of CHWs on secondary stroke risk factors among Latino individuals who have had a stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02251834; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02251834 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/72DgMqftq). INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/11083.

Disparities in stroke type and vascular risk factors between 2 Hispanic populations in Miami and Mexico city.

BACKGROUND: The heterogeneous nature and determinants of stroke among different Hispanic groups was examined by comparing hospitalized Hispanic stroke patients in Miami, where the Hispanic population is largely of Caribbean origin, to a Mestizo population in Mexico City. METHODS: Consecutive Hispanic patients who were admitted with stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) and included in the prospective stroke registries of 2 tertiary care teaching hospitals were studied. Demographic factors, stroke subtypes, vascular risk factors, stroke severity, and outcomes were compared. Vascular risk factor definitions were standardized. RESULTS: A total of 928 patients (520 Mexicans and 408 Miami Hispanics) were analyzed. Mexicans were younger, with a greater proportion of women. More cerebral venous thromboses (CVTs) were admitted in Mexico, while TIA and stroke mimics were more commonly admitted in Miami; cardioembolic strokes were more commonly ascertained in Miami, and more cryptogenic strokes in Mexico. Stroke severity was similar for intracerebral hemorrhages, but more severe ischemic strokes and CVTs were included in the Mexican registry. Outcome at 1 and 3 months was similar in both registries after adjusting for age and baseline stroke severity. After adjusting for age and sex, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atrial fibrillation were more frequent, and diabetes mellitus was less frequent, among Miami Hispanics compared to Mexicans. CONCLUSIONS: We found significant differences in the frequency of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and atrial fibrillation in Miami Hispanics and Mexican stroke patients, highlighting the heterogeneity of the Hispanic ethnic group. Future studies are needed to clarify the relative contribution of genetic and environmental disparities amongst Mexican and Caribbean Hispanic stroke patients.