Abstract P884: Differences in Stroke Type and Stroke Risk Factors Between African Americans and Ghanaian Stroke Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Ancestral lineage of many African Americans (AA) includes West African descent. Previous research has shown a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) in AA compared to other racial groups in the United States (US). Some have attributed these differences in the US population to ancestral lineage of the AA population. We sought to compare the stroke type and stroke risk factors between AA and Ghana, a country in West Africa. Methods: Data from the UFHealth institutional stroke database and the Kumasi, Ghana Stroke Survivors Registry between 01/2014 and 11/2019 provided a dataset of adult patients diagnosed with stroke from both locations. Multivariate regression analysis identified differences between country of origin, race, stroke type and clinical factors. Results: Among the 5519 patients, the median age was 66 (IQR 45 - 87), 49% woman, 16% AA, 19% Ghanaian, and 66% non-Hispanic white. In the total population, 22% had an intracerebral hemorrhage, 69% ischemic stroke, and 9% subarachnoid hemorrhage. Compared to patients in the U.S., patients from Ghana were younger (OR 1.06, 1.05-1.06 95% CI); more likely female (OR 1.66, 1.0-1.97 95% CI), hypertensive (OR 8.87, 6.46-12.17 95%CI), and more likely to consume alcohol (OR 4.25, 3.32-5.44 95% CI). Ghanaians were less likely to have DM (OR 0.81, 0.66-0.99 95% CI), smoke (OR 0.10, 0.07-0.13 95% CI), and live in an urban vs rural setting (OR 0.84, 0.71-0.99 95% CI). Compared to AA specifically, Ghanaians were younger (OR 1.02, 1.01-1.03 95% CI); more likely female (OR 1.45, 1.15-1.81 95% CI), hypertensive (OR 4.66, 3.25-6.68 95%CI), more likely to consume alcohol (OR 3.68, 2.62-5.18 95% CI); less likely to have DM (OR 0.55, 0.43-0.71 95% CI), smoke (OR 0.13, 0.08-0.19 95% CI), and less likely live in an urban vs rural setting (OR 0.66, 0.53-0.82 95% CI). Conclusion: Significant differences were found between stroke risk factors (hypertension, DM, alcohol consumption, and smoking) and race as well as country of origin. Further study of social and environmental differences between groups may elucidate the differences in stroke risk factors between AA’s and West Africans.