Table 1. Baseline Characteristics of the Patients.
| Factors | Patients in the prior period (n = 132) | Patients in the post period (n = 173) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 70.0±12.2 | 70.1±11.5 | 0.91 |
| Sex, female | 46 (34.9%) | 63 (36.4%) | 0.78 |
| Vascular risk factors | |||
| Hypertension | 88 (66.7%) | 130 (75.1%) | 0.11 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 51 (38.6%) | 51 (29.5%) | 0.09 |
| Dyslipidemia | 45 (34.1%) | 72 (41.6%) | 0.18 |
| Smoking | 0.82 | ||
| Never smokers | 66 (50.0%) | 85 (49.1%) | |
| Former smokers | 38 (28.8%) | 55 (31.8%) | |
| Current smokers | 28 (21.2%) | 33 (19.1%) | |
| Previous stroke | 32 (24.2%) | 41 (23.7%) | 0.91 |
| NIHSS score at admission, median (IQR) | 5 (2–13) | 5 (2–14) | 0.60 |
| Stroke subtype | 0.62 | ||
| Cardioembolism | 41 (31.1%) | 51 (29.5%) | |
| Large artery atherosclerosis | 22 (16.6%) | 25 (14.5%) | |
| Small artery occlusion | 12 (9.1%) | 18 (10.4%) | |
| Other mechanisms | 29 (22.0%) | 36 (20.8%) | |
| Hemorrhage | 28 (21.2%) | 43 (24.8%) |
NIHSS, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; IQR, interquartile range.