Vol. 5, Issue 2, Part A (2023)

Introduction: Globally, Stroke is a growing public health concern. Women face an excessive burden of stroke mortality and disability. They have considerable differences in the strength of association of stroke risk factors.
Aim or work: The aim of this case-control study is to examine gender- specific predictors of ischemic stroke including both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
Patients and methods: 118 SVD patients and 47 LVD patients were included in the study. Lipid profile, complete blood picture, liver and kidney function tests, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), carotid duplex, electrocardiogram (ECG), and echocardiography were carried out for all patients.
Results: The age at the onset of stroke in female patients was greater than that in males in either of the groups. Significantly, more hypertensive and diabetic patients were observed in the SVD group and more hypertensive and diabetic females were observed in both the LVD and the SVD groups. Median HDL-cholsterol was higher in higher in female than male patients in both groups, while the median Total cholesterol was higher in SVD male patients.
Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus and hypertension were found to be potential stroke risk factors for both LVD and SVD female patients while ischemic heart disease was found to be a potential stroke risk factors only for SVD female patients. Total cholesterol was found to be a stroke risk factors in SVD male patients, while HDL-cholesterol was found to be a protective factor for both LVD and SVD female patients.