Gender and thrombolysis therapy in acute ischemic stroke patients with incidence of obesity

Objective To investigate clinical risk factors that were associated with gender differences in thrombolysis therapy in stroke patients with incidence of obesity. Method Retrospective data of obese acute ischemic stroke patients were extracted from a stroke registry between January 2010 and June 2016. Gender differences in exclusion from rtPA or thrombolysis therapy were determined following an adjustment for differences in demographics, clinical risk factors using multiple regression analysis. Significant interactions between variables in the regression models were determined using variance inflation factors. Results A total of 1105 obese stroke patients were admitted, 549 were excluded from rtPA of which 51.7% were males and 48.3% were females. Among obese male stroke patients, age > 80 years (OR = 1.029, 95% CI, 1.005-1.054, P = 0.016), a history of peripheral vascular disease (OR = 3.008, 95% CI, 0.989-9.153, P = 0.052), and an elevated diastolic blood pressure (OR = 1.018, 95% CI, 1.001-1.035, P = 0.038) were associated with exclusion from rtPA therapy. In obese female stroke patients, coronary artery disease was associated with exclusion from rtPA (OR = 2.478, 95% CI, 1.270-4.836, P = 0.008) while antihypertensive therapy was associated with inclusion for rtPA (OR = 0.326, 95% CI, 0.139-0.764). Conclusion Elderly obese male stroke patients with elevated diastolic blood pressure, history of peripheral vascular disease, and obese female stroke patients with a history of coronary artery disease were more likely to be excluded from rtPA.