Cumulative incidence of stroke.

<p>The vertebroplasty group had similar cumulative incidences of (<b>A</b>) any stroke, (<b>B</b>) hemorrhagic stroke, and (<b>C</b>) ischemic stroke as the comparison group from the immediate post-operative period till the end of the five-year follow-up.</p

Hazard ratios of subsequent strokes post-vertebroplasty (2004.1.1–2008.12.31, n = 1989).

a<p>Adjustments were made for demographic characteristics (i.e., age, sex, insurance level, geographic location, and urbanization level), co-morbidities (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, valvular heart disease, arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease and Charlson's co-morbidity index), medications (e.g., aspirin, nitrates, lipid lowering drugs, anti-coagulants, and NSAIDs), and baseline propensity scores.</p

Flow of data processing.

<p>From an osteoporotic cohort of 58,703 patients in a nationwide representative cohort of one million people, 421 patients had percutaneous vertebroplasty (vertebroplasty group; n = 421), while age-, sex- and propensity score-matched patients comprised the comparison group (n = 1,655). The two groups were compared and followed-up for up to five years for subsequent stroke events.</p

Comparison of co-morbidities (n = 1989).

<p>*<i>p</i><0.05.</p

Comparison of stroke incidence rates.

<p>The vertebroplasty group had similar incidence rates of any, hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes to that of the comparison group.</p

Comparison for demographics and socio-economic status (n = 1989).

<p>Comparison for demographics and socio-economic status (n = 1989).</p