TY - JOUR

T1 - Immigration status and utilization of secondary preventive treatment after ischemic stroke

AU - Mkoma, George F.

AU - Johnsen, Søren P.

AU - Iversen, Helle K.

AU - Andersen, Grethe

AU - Norredam, Marie

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Introduction: The objective of the study was to assess use and persistence of secondary preventive treatment after ischemic stroke comparing immigrants and Danish-born residents. Patients and methods: A cohort of patients discharged with ischemic stroke (IS) diagnosis (n = 106,224) by immigration status was identified from the Danish Stroke Registry between 2005 and 2018. We investigated use (claiming at least one prescription in 180 days post-discharge according to information from the Register of Medicinal Products Statistics) and persistence of treatment within 180 days thereafter using multivariable logistic regression and Fine and Gray models. Results: Overall, 82,078 Danish-born residents (80.6%) and 3589 (80.7%) immigrants with IS used at least one of the recommended preventive medications post-discharge. Immigrants had lower odds of use of anticoagulants and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) (odds ratio (OR), 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53-0.82 and OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-0.98, respectively) but had higher odds of use of beta-blockers (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.02-1.53) than Danish-born residents after adjustment for age at stroke, sex, sociodemographic factors, duration of residence, stroke severity, and comorbidities. The odds were most evident among immigrants originating from non-Western countries. Persistence of medication use did not differ between immigrants and Danish-born residents after adjustment for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. Conclusion: Modest disparities in use of standard guideline recommended secondary preventive medications were observed when comparing immigrants and Danish-born residents with ischemic stroke. Furthermore, no differences in persistence of medication therapy were observed.

AB - Introduction: The objective of the study was to assess use and persistence of secondary preventive treatment after ischemic stroke comparing immigrants and Danish-born residents. Patients and methods: A cohort of patients discharged with ischemic stroke (IS) diagnosis (n = 106,224) by immigration status was identified from the Danish Stroke Registry between 2005 and 2018. We investigated use (claiming at least one prescription in 180 days post-discharge according to information from the Register of Medicinal Products Statistics) and persistence of treatment within 180 days thereafter using multivariable logistic regression and Fine and Gray models. Results: Overall, 82,078 Danish-born residents (80.6%) and 3589 (80.7%) immigrants with IS used at least one of the recommended preventive medications post-discharge. Immigrants had lower odds of use of anticoagulants and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) (odds ratio (OR), 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53-0.82 and OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-0.98, respectively) but had higher odds of use of beta-blockers (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.02-1.53) than Danish-born residents after adjustment for age at stroke, sex, sociodemographic factors, duration of residence, stroke severity, and comorbidities. The odds were most evident among immigrants originating from non-Western countries. Persistence of medication use did not differ between immigrants and Danish-born residents after adjustment for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. Conclusion: Modest disparities in use of standard guideline recommended secondary preventive medications were observed when comparing immigrants and Danish-born residents with ischemic stroke. Furthermore, no differences in persistence of medication therapy were observed.

KW - Immigrants

KW - ethnicity

KW - ischemic stroke

KW - secondary preventive treatment

KW - ETHNIC DISPARITIES

KW - CARE

KW - RECURRENCE

KW - RISK

KW - ASSOCIATION

KW - OUTCOMES

KW - TRIALS

KW - ATTACK

U2 - 10.1177/23969873221111870

DO - 10.1177/23969873221111870

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36478760

VL - 7

JO - European Stroke Journal

JF - European Stroke Journal

SN - 2396-9873

IS - 4

ER -