TABLE 1.

Demographics and baseline characteristics of patients with IS of different clinical stages

Variables	Control group (n = 20)	Acute phase group (n = 19)	Subacute phase group (n = 28)	Stable phase group (n = 20)	p
Age (years)	55.75 ± 11.36	58.26 ± 16.10	68.11 ± 11.59	66.67 ± 11.74	n.s.
Male %	55.00%	52.63%	60.71%	55.00%	n.s.
Race, Han, % (n)	100	100	100	100	n.s.
NIHSS score	NA	6.11 ± 4.03	3.47 ± 2.05	1.17 ± 1.17	*,#,∆
Hypertension, % (n)	0.00	63.16	67.86	65.00	n.s.
Diabetes mellitus, % (n)	0.00	36.85	32.14	35.00	n.s.
Hypercholesterolemia, % (n)	0.00	52.63	53.58	40.00	n.s.
Smoking status (% current smokers)	30.00	42.11	39.29	40.00	n.s.

*Acute phase group vs. sub‐acute phase group, p = 0.021. # Acute phase group vs. stable phase Group, p < 0.001. ∆ Subacute phase group vs. stable phase Group, p < 0.001. Chi‐square test was performed in all comparisons except for those on age and NIHSS score. Chi‐square test was performed in all comparisons except for those on age and NIHSS score. NIHSS score, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale.