| Affiliation: | 2. College of Health Related Professions at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Medical Informatics Program, Brooklyn, New York;3. SUNY Downstate Medical Center, The Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, Brooklyn, New York;4. Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Department of Clinical Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;5. SUNY Downstate Medical Center, The Stroke Center and Department of Neurology and Kings County Hospital Center, Department of Neurology, Brooklyn, New York |
| Abstract: | ObjectsTo identify predictors of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) among patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with dizziness, imbalance, or vertigo (DIV) based on demographic and clinical characteristics.MethodsWe identified patients admitted to the hospital after presenting to the ED with DIV from the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database of New York from 2010 to 2014. Demographic and clinical characteristics were systematically collected. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of a discharge diagnosis of AIS.ResultsAmong 77,993 patients with DIV, 3857 (4.9%) had a discharge diagnosis of AIS. Admission presentation of imbalance, African-American race, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, tobacco use, atrial fibrillation, and prior AIS due to extracranial artery atherosclerosis were each positively associated with an AIS diagnosis independently. Factors negatively associated with an AIS discharge diagnosis included: admission presentation of vertigo, female sex, age > 81, history of anemia, coronary artery disease, asthma, depressive disorders, and anxiety disorders.ConclusionsMultiple potential positive and negative predictive AIS risk factors were identified. Combining with currently available centrally-caused dizziness prediction tools, these newly identified factors could provide more accurate AIS risk stratifying method for DIV patients. |
