Comparison of the Sociodemographic Characteristics and Various Indicators of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

OBJECTIVES: The aim of our research is to compare the sociodemographic characteristics of patients with acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS: The sample was selected from patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke at the Clinical Center of the University of Pécs Neurology Clinic using convenience sampling. The study took place between April 2022 and May 2023. Patients were categorized into groups based on treatment received: intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), mechanical thrombectomy (MT), and standard care (SC). Descriptive statistical analysis was performed to examine patients' sociodemographic data, factors influencing care, and comparisons were made over time periods.

RESULTS: The study included 198 participants (115 males, 83 females) (MT: 50, IVT: 69, SC: 79). The examination of characteristics revealed that the majority of patients were urban residents (67.67%, n=134) with secondary education (53.53%, n=106). In terms of marital status, more than half of the subjects were married (55.05%, n=109), and the majority were retired (61.15%, n=129). The vast majority of participants had hyperlipidemia (77.77%, n=154) and hypertension (76.76%, n=152). Cryptogenic origin was most commonly associated with the clinical presentation (30.80%, n=61), while large artery origin was most characteristic in the thrombectomy group (46.00%, n=23). The average time intervals showed that the time from stroke onset to intervention was 594 minutes for the MT group, 242 minutes for the IVT group, and 1137 minutes for the SC group. These time intervals significantly influenced the type of intervention received.

CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic data of stroke patients in different treatments showed similar results. Hyperlipidemia and hypertension were the most prevalent factors influencing care. Regarding the average time intervals, the thrombectomy group had higher than recommended results, possibly due to the fact that mechanical thrombectomy is only performed in designated Stroke Centers in Hungary, leading to increased travel time and, consequently, higher average time interval values.