Study of the Propensity for Hemorrhage in Hispanic Americans With Stroke

ObjectiveMultiple sources document a higher proportion of intraparenchymal hemorrhage (HEM) in Hispanic (HIS) than white (WHI) patients with stroke. We sought an explanation for this phenomenon through analysis of multiple variables in our hospital-based stroke population.MethodsWe performed univariate and multivariate analysis of risk factors in our HIS and WHI patients with stroke to identify differences that might account for a greater propensity for HEM in HIS patients.ResultsMultivariate analysis disclosed that the risk of HEM correlated significantly with untreated hypertension (HTN), HIS ethnicity, and heavy alcohol intake. A negative correlation was found for hyperlipidemia and diabetes. Our HIS patients with stroke had a greater prevalence of untreated HTN and heavy alcohol intake, with HIS men being at greatest risk.ConclusionsHIS patients with stroke in our hospital-based population appear relatively more prone to HEM than do WHI patients. This risk correlates with a greater likelihood of having untreated HTN and heavy alcohol intake, more so for HIS men. The explanation appears to be a relative lack of health awareness and involvement in our health care system. The possibility that HIS ethnicity itself constitutes a biological risk factor for HEM remains a matter of speculation. Validation of this work with community data should lead to remediation through a community-based effort.