Abstract TP181: Racial Disparity in the Risk of Developing Stroke

Introduction: Stroke is a serious condition that can result in adverse outcomes or death. However, disparities in the timing of stroke onset among different ethnic groups remain unclear. We aim to examine the association between ethnicity, especially in Black population, and time to stroke development. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2017 to 2023, including adults with either a self-reported history of stroke or without a history of stroke. Multiple Cox regression was used for analysis to determine the time to develop stroke in Black compared to non-Black population adjusted by gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), LDL and HDL cholesterol, mean Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), mean Diastolic Blood Pressure(DBP), HbA1c level, Body Mass Index(BMI), serum ferritin, and ratio of family income to poverty. In addition, Subgroup analyses by gender were conducted. Results: From 3,578 adults, the mean age±SD was 44.9±20.28 years. A total of 875 adults (24.5%) were Black. The mean age±SD of Black and non-Black adults were 44.80±19.58 years and 45.04±20.51 years, respectively. The median follow-up time for developing stroke was 45 years (IQR: 27-61 years). The risk of developing stroke among. Black population was statistically significantly higher at 86% (HR 1.86, P <0.005, 95%CI 1.31-2.62) compared to non-Black population. In subgroup analysis by gender, male Black population showed a significantly increased risk of stroke (HR 3.33, P <0.005, 95%CI 2.04-5.45), while female Black population did not show a statistically significant increased risk of developing stroke (HR 1.27, P 0.345, 95%CI 0.76-2.12). The association between Black population and stroke risk is modified by gender. Specifically, being female is associated with a lower stroke risk compared to Black male (HR 0.43, P 0.016, 95%CI 0.21-0.85) Conclusions: Black ethnicity was associated with a higher risk of stroke compared to non-Black. This risk varied by gender, with Black females showing a lower risk than Black males. These findings suggest that both ethnicity and gender should be considered when assessing stroke risk and developing targeted preventive measures.