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Abstract T P303: Recent Rise in Stroke-Related Emergency Department Visits by Young and Middle-aged Adults in the United States


 Background:
 Population-based studies suggest increasing rates of stroke among young/middle-aged adults. However, the qualitative and quantitative aspects of this surge in young/middle-aged adults on utilization of emergency department (ED) services in the US have not been previously characterized.
 
 
 Methods:
 Data from the 2002-2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey were analyzed to identify ED visits among young/middle-aged adult patients (25-64 year old) with a diagnosis of stroke. Diagnosis of stroke was identified using ICD-9-CM codes and analyses were completed by combining 3 years of data (2002-2004, 2005-2007, and 2008-2010). All estimates were adjusted using weights provided by the National Center for Health Statistics to generate nationally representative estimates.
 
 
 Results:
 An estimated annual average of 581,000 adult patients were diagnosed with stroke in U.S. ED from 2002 to 2010, representing ~0.5% of all ED visits. Among stroke-related ED visits, 36% were by patients aged 25-64. ED visit rates per 100,000 population for young/middle-aged stroke patients during 2002-2004, 2005-2007 and 2008-2010 were 127 (95% CI 110-144), 125 (95% CI 103-147) and 148 (95% CI 112-185), respectively. Visit rates per 1,000 ED visits were 3.6 (95% CI 3.1-4.1) during 2002-2004, 3.4 (95% CI 2.7-4.1) during 2005-2007 and 3.7 (95% CI 2.6-4.7) during 2008-2010, respectively. The overall rate per 1,000 ED visits for young black patients was similar to whites (3.6 vs. 3.5), however Blacks had a higher rate of stroke-related ED visits per 100,000 population compared to Whites counterparts for each successive three year period; 2002-2004 (245 vs. 113); 2005-2007 (267 vs. 106) and 2008-2010 (299 vs. 132).
 
 
 Conclusion:
 Visits to the ED by young/middle-aged adults diagnosed with stroke has risen progressively over the last decade in the US, with a higher rate of these visits by Blacks. These findings may have implications for healthy policy makers and medical providers.
 
 
 
