Relationships between alcohol Intake and ischemic stroke severity in sex stratified analysis for Japanese acute stroke patients

A study evaluated the relationships between alcohol intake and ischemic stroke severity in Japanese stroke patients.
Of a total of 101,165 registered cases of stroke in Japan, patient data of total strokes (n = 60,836), cardiogenic strokes (n = 11,894), and noncardiogenic strokes (n = 29,129) were extracted. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge were used to identify stroke severity. Significant alcohol consumption in regard to stroke severity at admission and discharge was also identified.
Among all subject and males, nondrinkers had significantly poorer NIHSS scores of cardiogenic strokes as did those consuming greater than or equal to 60g/day, there was also a significant difference in past heavy drinkers with noncardiogenic strokes. Among females, nondrinkers had a significance of cardiogenic stroke and non-cardiogenic strokes. Among all subjects and males, 20-39g/day and
40-59g/day were significantly associated with protective effects on mRS severity of cardiogenic strokes, whereas 40-59g/day also had significant protective effects for noncardiogenic strokes. Among females, greater than or equal to 60g/day had a significant protective effect for cardiogenic strokes.
For males, alcohol intake of less than 60g/day played a protective role in functional prognosis at discharge and showed a J-shape relationship. For females, although there was a limitation that the number of female drinkers was small, negative effects were shown at admission with lower consumption than males.
Source: Relationships between Alcohol Intake and Ischemic Stroke Severity in Sex Stratified Analysis for Japanese Acute Stroke Patients. Shiotsuki H, Saijo Y, Ogushi Y, Kobayashi S; Japan Standard Stroke Registry Study Group. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2019 Mar 20. pii: S1052-3057(19)30090-4.