Baseline characteristics by discharge AD use in AD naïve stroke patients (N=21 805)
| Variable | Overall | AD yes | AD no | P value |
| N=21 805 | N=1835 | N=19 970 | ||
| Demographics | ||||
| Age | 79 (72–86) | 78 (71–85) | 79 (72–86) | <0.001 |
| Gender | <0.001 | |||
| Female | 54.43 | 61.36 | 53.80 | |
| Male | 45.57 | 38.64 | 46.20 | |
| Race/ethnicity | 0.002 | |||
| White | 79.60 | 83.26 | 79.26 | |
| Black | 11.80 | 9.71 | 12.00 | |
| Hispanic (any race) | 3.84 | 3.22 | 3.90 | |
| Asian | 1.92 | 1.31 | 1.97 | |
| Other (includes UTD) | 2.84 | 2.51 | 2.87 | |
| Insurance status | 0.728 | |||
| Self pay/no insurance | 0.37 | 0.28 | 0.38 | |
| Medicare | 53.32 | 52.29 | 53.42 | |
| Medicaid | 6.72 | 6.95 | 6.70 | |
| Private/VA/champus/other | 39.59 | 40.49 | 39.50 | |
| Medical history | ||||
| Depression | 4.74 | 17.71 | 3.55 | <0.001 |
| Atrial fibrillation/flutter | 23.64 | 23.00 | 23.70 | 0.497 |
| Stroke | 24.25 | 26.65 | 24.03 | 0.012 |
| TIA | 10.28 | 10.63 | 10.25 | 0.612 |
| Coronary artery disease/prior MI | 29.97 | 29.81 | 29.99 | 0.874 |
| Carotid stenosis | 4.51 | 4.85 | 4.48 | 0.467 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 33.07 | 34.99 | 32.90 | 0.069 |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 5.60 | 6.16 | 5.54 | 0.273 |
| Hypertension | 81.01 | 82.40 | 80.89 | 0.114 |
| Smoker | 10.13 | 11.34 | 10.02 | 0.074 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 51.06 | 51.72 | 51.00 | 0.559 |
| Heart failure | 10.11 | 10.35 | 10.09 | 0.715 |
| Renal insufficiency | 8.81 | 8.23 | 8.86 | 0.362 |
| Medications prior to admission | ||||
| Antiplatelets | 57.39 | 59.34 | 57.21 | 0.09 |
| Anticoagulants | 23.84 | 23.76 | 23.84 | 0.951 |
| Antihypertensives | 76.11 | 76.13 | 76.10 | 0.980 |
| Cholesterol reducers | 48.84 | 50.52 | 48.69 | 0.134 |
| Diabetic medications | 26.61 | 27.55 | 26.52 | 0.341 |
| Presentation | ||||
| EMS arrival | 51.24 | 53.55 | 51.03 | 0.042 |
| On time arrival (non-holiday, M-F 7a-6p) | 50.03 | 48.03 | 50.21 | 0.074 |
| Onset to arrival times (min) | 225 (79–606) | 243.5 (98–600.5) | 224 (77–606) | 0.006 |
| Onset to arrival times (min) | 0.001 | |||
| ≥241 | 48.15 | 50.27 | 47.95 | |
| ≥120 and <241 | 17.03 | 19.60 | 16.79 | |
| <120 | 34.82 | 30.13 | 35.26 | |
| Initial NIHSS | 3 (1–8) | 5 (2–11) | 3 (1–8) | <0.001 |
| Initial NIHSS | <0.001 | |||
| ≥15 | 11.79 | 15.83 | 11.41 | |
| ≥6 and <15 | 23.95 | 30.41 | 23.35 | |
| <6 | 64.26 | 53.75 | 65.24 | |
| Recorded initial NIHSS score | 85.64 | 87.08 | 85.50 | 0.065 |
| Ambulatory status at admission | <0.001 | |||
| Able to ambulate independently | 38.94 | 28.09 | 39.90 | |
| With assistance from person | 31.80 | 32.76 | 31.72 | |
| Unable to ambulate | 29.26 | 39.16 | 28.38 | |
| Stroke symptoms resolved at time of presentation | 9.32 | 7.32 | 9.51 | 0.01 |
| Discharge | ||||
| Ambulatory status at discharge | <0.001 | |||
| Able to ambulate independently | 49.55 | 35.63 | 50.83 | |
| With assistance from person | 37.63 | 45.89 | 36.87 | |
| Unable to ambulate | 12.82 | 18.49 | 12.30 | |
| Discharge destination | <0.001 | |||
| Home | 45.54 | 30.63 | 46.91 | |
| Inpatient rehabilitation facility | 28.08 | 34.01 | 27.54 | |
| Skilled nursing facility | 24.68 | 33.46 | 23.88 | |
| Other healthcare facility | 1.70 | 1.91 | 1.68 | |
| Antihypertensives | 88.61 | 91.63 | 88.34 | <0.001 |
| Antithrombotics | 96.23 | 96.29 | 96.23 | 0.247 |
| Antiplatelets | 87.46 | 87.44 | 87.47 | 0.971 |
| Aspirin | 72.15 | 72.55 | 72.12 | 0.697 |
| Anticoagulants | 30.53 | 32.20 | 30.38 | 0.111 |
Bold denotes statistically significant p value < 0.05.
AD, antidepressant; EMS, emergency medical services; MI, myocardial infarction; NIHSS, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; TIA, transient ischaemic attack; UTD, unable to determine; VA, veterans affairs.