Comparison of vascular risk factors profiles for transient ischemic attacks and ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To determine vascular risk factor (VRF) profiles in transient ischemic attack (TIA) and ischemic stroke. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We studied 239 patients with TIA and 1.473 ischemic stroke patients included in a prospective stroke registry over a 10-year period. RESULTS: Main VRF were: hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation. In the multivariate analysis, prior ischemic stroke (OR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.07-2.56), atrial fibrillation (OR = 1.60; 95% CI, 1.142.26) and current use of warfarin treatment (OR = 0.34; 95% CI, 0.13-0.94) were the only independent risk factors associated with ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Different potentially modifiable vascular risk factor profiles were identified in ischemic stroke versus TIA. This suggests that there are pathogenic differences between TIA and ischemic strokes.