Antiplatelets, antihypertensives, and statins might reduce
the severity of the event or improve outcome in
patients who, despite prior medical treatment, have a
stroke.
We evaluated, in patients who had an ischemic stroke,
the effect, on stroke severity and outcome, of prior
treatment with antiplatelets, antihypertensives, and
statins, used either alone or in a three-drug combination.
Stroke in Italy and Related Impact on Outcome (SIRIO)
was a prospective, nationwide, multicenter, hospitalbased,
observational study that included patients aged
≥18 years with acute ischemic stroke.
We studied 2,529 acute ischemic stroke patients from
the SIRIO population: 887 were antiplatelet users, 1,497
antihypertensive users, 231 statin users, and 138 threedrug
combination users prior to the index event. The
adjusted logistic regression analysis showed an association
between prior treatment with statins and good
functional outcome at discharge, while prior treatment
with antiplatelets, antihypertensives or the three-drug
combination did not influence severity or outcome. The
absolute probability of a good functional outcome was
46.3% (95% CI: 40.3%-53.2%) in statin users and 36.7%
(95% CI: 34.7%-38.7%) in non-users of statins; the absolute
risk difference was 9.6% (95% CI: 2.9%-16.4%;
p=0.004).
Prior treatment with antiplatelets, antihypertensives, or
the three-drug combination did not influence stroke
severity or outcome, while prior treatment with statins
did not influence stroke severity but was associated
with a better functional outcome