One-year atherothrombotic vascular events rates in outpatients with recent non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke: the EVEREST (Effective Vascular Event REduction after STroke) registry.

BACKGROUND

Patients with recent ischemic stroke may have higher risk of atherothrombosis than stable patients with established vascular events. Our aims were to investigate 1-year atherothrombotic vascular event rates and to assess the risk factors for recurrent ischemic stroke in this population.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study was conducted between January 2007 and July 2009 at 313 hospitals in Japan. Outpatients who were at least 45 years of age and who had received oral antiplatelet therapy were enrolled within 2 weeks to 6 months from the last onset of noncardioembolic ischemic stroke. At 12 ± 3 months after enrollment, data on presence/absence of atherothrombotic vascular events were collected. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of fatal or nonfatal ischemic stroke.

RESULTS

A total of 3452 patients were enrolled, and 3411 patients who had baseline data were included in the analysis. The 1-year event rate was 3.81% (95% confidence interval 3.15-4.48%) for fatal or nonfatal ischemic stroke and 0.84% (95% confidence interval 0.52-1.15%) for all-cause mortality. The annual rate of recurrent ischemic stroke was significantly higher in patients who had ischemic stroke at least twice than in patients who had first-ever ischemic stroke (5.02% vs 3.59%; P = .0313). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, recurrent ischemic stroke was significantly associated with age (P = .0033), the presence of diabetes (P = .0129), and waist circumference ≥80 cm (P = .0056).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with recent ischemic stroke have a higher risk of stroke recurrence than stable patients enrolled in the REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) registry even though they received antiplatelet therapy. The rigorous management of risk factors is needed.