Introduction: Estimating trends in long-term outcomes after stroke is important for long-term planning of health resources. Data on trends in long-term post-stroke outcomes are not available among Hispanics. Whether race-ethnic disparities exist and how trends in these outcomes have changed over time comparing non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) with Mexican Americans (MAs) are also unknown. Thus, we aimed to estimate ethnic-specific trends in risk of 5-year all-cause mortality and recurrence after initial stroke in MAs and NHWs. Methods: We included 3308 patients who had first-ever ischemic stroke ascertained between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2012 from the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project in Texas. Data on recurrent stroke and death were available through December 31, 2017. Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard models including covariates and an interaction term between calendar year and ethnicity were used to calculate 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrence and death in both ethnic groups in each year. Results: Among the 3308 index stroke patients, 402 (12.15%) recurrences and 1420 (37.61%) deaths were observed during the 5-year follow-up. Adjusted 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrence among MAs declined from 15.76% to 11.28%. Among NHWs, a slight decline from 12.49% to 10.46% was observed. An ethnic disparity in 5-year recurrence was not apparent in 2000 (risk difference 3.27%, [95% CI, -10.41, 9.10]) or during the study duration (Figure). The greatest ethnic disparity in 5-year mortality risk was observed in 2000 but disappeared in 2012, which was driven by the increasing trend in MAs from 23.11% in 2000 to 24.28% in 2012 and the decreasing trend in NHWs from 31.09% to 27.19% accordingly. Conclusions: No apparent ethnic disparity in long-term stroke recurrence was found and long-term survival advantage in MAs presented early in the study gradually disappeared over the 13 years.
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