Abstract WMP50: Age-Specific Female-Male Disparities in Endovascular Thrombectomy Use for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the United States
Introduction: Studies have suggested sex-related and age-related variations in frequency of reperfusion therapy, but have been limited by constrained geographic scope, data from before the modern thrombectomy era, and incomplete exploration of sex-related differences in discrete age ranges. We therefore analyzed sex-, age-, and sex-age interaction in the frequency of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke in the US National Inpatient Sample. Methods: In the National Inpatient Sample , we identified all adult ischemic stroke EVT hospitalizations from 2010-2016, using ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes. Patient age was categorized as: <50y, 50-59y, 60-69y, 70-79y and ≥80ys. Rates of use of EVT were assessed standardized to the 2010 US Census population. Results: Among 50,573 EVT hospitalizations, 50.1% were female. The number of EVTs increased from 4091 in 2010 to 12,875 in 2016. Over the entire 7y time period, a sex-age interaction was noted: 49% in <50y; 37% in 50-59y; 35% in 60-69y; 53% in 70-79y; and 66% in ≥80y. This sex-age interaction was present as well for EVT rates per 100,000 individuals in the population, with the total ratio of female to male rate of EVT per 100,000: 0.93 for in <50y; 0.52 in 50-59y; 0.58 in 60-69y; 0.91 in 70-79y; and 1.1 in ≥80y. EVT utilization rates increased substantially over time in both men and women in all age groups. However, the ratio of women to men per 100,000 receiving EVT changed for only one age range, decreasing among <50y from 0.98 in 2010 to 0.79 in 2016 (P<0.05). Conclusion: While half of all endovascular thrombectomies in the US are performed in women, there are major age-related sex-specific variations in EVT rates, with rates of EVT much lower among women than men in 50-70 age group. Determinants of these age-specific female-male disparities in EVT treatment merit detailed investigation. Figure: Age- and sex-specific female to male thrombectomy utilization rates.