Abstract WP211: Ethnic Differences in Cognitive Recovery 3 Months Following Stroke

Abstract

Introduction: Mexican Americans (MA) have worse cognitive outcomes following stroke relative to non-Hispanic whites (NHW). In a population-based study we examined whether MAs and NHWs have different cognition just after stroke (baseline) and different cognitive trajectories at 90 days post stroke. Methods: The sample included 598 participants from the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi Project who had ischemic stroke between 2008-2013. Cognitive assessment was the 3MSE (English or Spanish). A change score was calculated (3MSE at 90 days minus 3MSE at baseline). Robust regression was used to examine ethnic differences in cognitive outcomes adjusted for sociodemographics, pre-stroke factors, and clinical stroke characteristics; missing covariate values were imputed with multiple imputation. Results: The sample was 57% MA, 35% NHW, and 8% other race/ethnicity. MAs were younger, had lower educational attainment, and were less likely to have health insurance than NHWs (all p<0.01). MAs showed lower cognitive function at baseline (Table 1) and less cognitive recovery 90 days following stroke compared with NHWs (Table 2), which remained significant after accounting for all covariates (Model 5, Tables 1 and 2). Conclusions: MAs have worse post-stroke baseline cognition and less robust cognitive recovery 90 days following stroke than NHWs. This disparity should be addressed through rehabilitation or other interventions.