Abstract P44: Does Race Influence Disability and Hospital Disposition After Cerebral Hemorrhage? Results From a Community Wide Stroke Registry

Abstract

Background: Compared to Non-Hispanic whites (NHW), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has a higher incidence among African Americans (AA) where it also occurs at a younger age. Previous studies have concluded that there are no racial differences in hospital mortality after ICH, but the influence of race on disability and discharge disposition after ICH has not been studied. Methods: The Illinois Capture-Stroke registry is a prospectively collected database of patients admitted with a stroke to 56 acute care hospitals in Illinois. We performed a retrospective analysis of the association between race, and in-hospital mortality, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge and discharge disposition in 804 patients with ICH enrolled in the registry between 2005 and 2007. Results: We studied 530 NHW and 175 AA patients with radiologically proven ICH. Compared to NHW, AA patients were younger (mean age NHW: 73±14 vs AA: 58±12 yrs, p <0.001) and had a higher incidence of hypertension, smoking and coronary artery disease. Although there was no racial difference in hospital mortality, incidence of moderate to severe disability (mRS 4-5) was significantly higher in NHW (69%) compared to AA (55%). Among patients <65 years old, a trend (p=0.102) towards a higher disability in NHW was observed (60% in NHW vs. 45% in AA). In this age group, 41% of NHW and 33% of AA were discharged to rehabilitation facilities while 37% of NHW and 44% of AA were discharged home. Conclusion: A very large proportion of patients with ICH are discharged from hospitals with moderate or severe disability. Compared to NHW, a higher proportion of younger AA patients are discharged home after ICH. The long term outcomes of survivors after ICH in the United States is not well studied, and the influence of racial and socioeconomic factors on long-term treatment and outcome after ICH needs to be explored.