Table 1.
Characteristics of patients, and univariable analysis
| All patients | Had not cut down on salt over lifetime n = 146 |
Had cut down on salt over lifetime n = 104 |
P (unadjusted difference in salt reduction | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic features | ||||
| Female gender | 73 (37%) | 60 (41%) | 44 (42%) | .9 |
| Median age at index stroke | 67.5 (IQR 60, 75.25) | 66 (IQR 57-72) | 66 (IQR 56-75) | .6 |
| Dietary salt | ||||
| Added salt at the table (1-5)* | 1 (0,2) | 1 (0-3) | 0 (0-2) | <.001 |
| Added salt during cooking (1-5)* | 2 (0,4) | 2 (1-4) | 1 (0-3) | <.001 |
| Median total salt score (IQR) | 4 (1-5) | 4 (2-6) | 2 (0-4) | <.001 |
| Stroke-related features | ||||
| Lacunar subtype | 90 (46%) | 75 (51%) | 37 (36%) | .01 |
| Median NIHSS at worse point (IQR) | 2 (1,3) | 2 (1-3) | 2 (2-3) | .9 |
| Stroke risk factors | ||||
| AF | 23 (9%) | 9 (6%) | 14 (13%) | .07 |
| Carotid stenosis on either side | 26 (10%) | 10 (8%) | 16 (17%) | 1 |
| Smoker or stopped within last 12 months | 96 (36%) | 65 (45%) | 32 (31%) | .03 |
| Past medical history | ||||
| Known diabetes | 27 (14%) | 13 (9%) | 15 (14%) | .22 |
| Diagnosis of hypertension prior to index stroke (or diagnosed at presentation) | 142 (72%) | 98 (67%) | 83 (80%) | .03 |
| Median systolic BP at presentation† | 150 (27.9) | 151 (29) | 151 (25) | .92 |
| Median diastolic BP at presentation† | 83.7 (14.4) | 84.4 (14.3) | 82 (14.0) | .44 |
| Diagnosis of hyperlipidemia prior to index stroke (or diagnosed at presentation) | 85 (43%) | 81 (55%) | 71 (68%) | .05 |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 41 (21%) | 24 (16%) | 25 (24%) | .15 |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 14 (5%) | 8 (5%) | 6 (6%) | 1 |
| Previous TIA prior to index stroke | 28 (11%) | 16 (11%) | 12 (12%) | 1 |
| Previous stroke prior to index stroke | 30 (11%) | 17 (12%) | 13 (13%) | .85 |
| Any large vessel disease (IHD, PVD, or carotid stenosis on either side) | 75 (28%) | 39 (27%) | 36 (35%) | .21 |
| Imaging features : SVD score | ||||
| Median total SVD score | 1 (0-2) | 1 (0-2) | 1 (0-2) | .01 |
| At least 1 microbleed | 42 (16%) | 33 (23%) | 9 (9%) | .003 |
| PVS in the basal ganglia | 123 (47%) | 74 (51%) | 49 (47%) | .61 |
| Periventricular WMH score 1+ | 110 (42%) | 73 (50%) | 37 (36%) | .03 |
| At least 1 lacunae on index scan | 66 (25%) | 46 (32%) | 20 (19%) | .04 |
| Imaging features: median Fazekas Score | ||||
| Median periventricular score (IQR) | 1 (1,2) | 1 (1-2) | 1 (1-2) | .25 |
| Median deep score (IQR) | 1 (1,2) | 1 (1-2) | 1 (1-2) | .45 |
| Median total score (IQR) | 3 (2-5) | 3 (2-4) | 2 (2-4) | .37 |
Abbreviations: AF, atrial fibrillation; BP, blood pressure; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; IQR, interquartile range; NIHSS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; PVD, peripheral vascular disease; PVS, perivascular spaces; SVD, small vessel disease; TIA, transient ischemic attack; WMH, white matter hyperintensity.
Bold and Italic indicate statistical significance.
*
Median (IQR).
†
mm Hg (IQR).