Abstract WP173: Women Have More Severe Post-Stroke Fatigue Than Men

Background: Gender-related differences in stroke are issues of increasing interest. Post- stroke fatigue (PSF) is a frequently reported symptom affecting stroke survivors and is a predictor for death and increased disability. Aims: To evaluate gender differences and predictors in PSF in an urban predominantly minority cohort. Methods: Two-center, IRB approved, prospective study serving primarily African/Caribbean Americans. Eligible patients included ischemic stroke within 3 years. Aphasia, dementia or pre-existing depression were exclusions. PSF was assessed by Fatigue Assessment Score (FAS); depression by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Primary outcome was FAS log-transformed due to its skewed distribution. Multiple linear regression determined gender differences in PSF, adjusted for prior stroke, diabetes (DM), atrial fibrillation (AF), hypertension (HTN) and the following dichotomized predictors: stroke severity (NIHSS >2), BDI score (≥11), age (≥55), and time from stroke onset (>30 days). First-...