Abstract 4140907: Trends and Disparities of Ischemic Stroke–Related Mortality Among the Young Adults in the United States from 1999-2020

Background: Stroke remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, with a notably increasing incidence among young adults. Despite this trend, detailed insights into mortality trends specifically for young adults suffering from ischemic stroke (IS) are sparse. Methods: Leveraging data from the CDC's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database, we identified individuals aged 15 to 44 with IS-related mortality. We calculated age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) per million persons and analyzed annual percent changes. Subgroup analysis was conducted to examine differences by age, gender, race, and geographic region. Results: From 1999 to 2020, there were 9,906 ischemic stroke-related deaths among young adults. The overall AAMR for ischemic stroke-related mortality increased from 4.19 in 1999 to 5.20 in 2020 (p-trend<0.001). Notably, men exhibited a higher AAMR (3.91 [95% CI, 3.81-4.01]) compared to women (3.19 [95% CI, 3.10-3.29]). Mortality rates peaked in the 35-44 year age group. Among racial groups, Black or African American individuals had the highest AAMR at 5.92 ([95% CI, 5.68-6.15]), significantly higher than White individuals (AAMR 3.25 [95% CI, 3.17-3.33]). Geographically, the Southern region of the U.S. recorded the highest AAMR (4.10 [95% CI, 3.98-4.23]). Conclusion: Our analysis reveals a concerning increase in ischemic stroke–related mortality among young adults in the United States. The data highlight significant disparities, with notably higher mortality rates among men and Black or African American individuals. Furthermore, pronounced geographical variations in mortality rates emphasize the necessity for targeted, region-specific public health interventions to address these disparities effectively.