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The Galilee region of Israel boasts a rich ethnic diversity within its Arab population, encompassing distinct Muslim, Christian, Druze, and Bedouin communities. This preliminary exploratory study uniquely examined potential ethnic and gender differences in ischemic stroke characteristics across these Arab subgroups, which are seldom investigated separately in Israel and are typically studied as a homogeneous "Arab" sector, despite significant variations in their ethnicity, culture, customs, and genetics. The current study aimed to comparatively evaluate stroke characteristics, including recurrence rates, severity, and subtypes, within and across these distinct ethnic groups and between genders. When examining the differences in stroke characteristics between ethnic groups, notable findings emerged. The Bedouin population exhibited significantly higher rates of recurrent strokes than Muslims (M = 0.55, SD = 0.85 vs. M = 0.25, SD = 0.56; p < 0.05). Large vessel strokes were significantly more prevalent among Christians (30%) than Druze (9.9%; p < 0.05). Regarding gender differences within each ethnic group, several disparities were observed. Druze women were six times more likely to experience moderate to severe strokes than their male counterparts (p < 0.05). Interestingly, Druze women also exhibited a higher representation of cardio-embolic stroke (19.8%) compared with Druze men (4.6%; p < 0.001). These findings on the heterogeneity in stroke characteristics across Arab ethnic subgroups and by gender underscore the need to reconsider the approach that views all ethnic groups comprising the Arab sector in Israel as a homogeneous population; instead, they should be investigated as distinct communities with unique stroke profiles, requiring tailored culturally aware community-based prevention programs and personalized therapeutic models. The identified patterns may guide future research to develop refined, individualized, and preventive treatment approaches targeting the distinct risk factors, healthcare contexts, and prevention needs of these diverse Arab populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: This study aimed to investigate the differences in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) between Jews and Arabs residing in northern Israel, focusing on risk factors, hemorrhage volume, and functional outcome. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted utilizing a population-based registry to investigate intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes. The registry consisted of inpatients diagnosed with hemorrhagic stroke. Due to the wide variation in data on ICH characteristics and the limited availability of population-based data on predictors of ICH survival and functional outcomes, we collected retrospective data on all adult patients admitted to the Galilee Medical Center with a diagnosis of ICH. Data were obtained from the registry covering the period from 2013 to 2019. Ethnic differences and risk factors associated with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were examined within a diverse population of 241 patients, comprising 52.70% Jews (n = 127) and 47.30% Arabs (n = 114). Results: The results of this study revealed significant differences in age, obesity rates, and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) location between the two ethnic groups. Hypertension emerged as the most prevalent condition among ICH patients in both ethnic groups (76.70%), followed primarily by anticoagulant use (63.60%), dyslipidemia (60.70%), diabetes (44.60%), obesity (30.60%), smoking (24.60%), and a history of cardiovascular disease (21.80%). Furthermore, 20.90% of the patients had a history of previous cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). Arab patients with ICH were generally younger (62.90 ± 16.00 years) and exhibited higher rates of obesity (38.70%) compared to Jewish patients with ICH (70.17 ± 15.24 years, 23% obesity; p = 0.001, p = 0.013, respectively). Hemorrhage volume was identified as a crucial determinant of patient outcomes, with larger volumes associated with poorer Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at discharge and higher mortality rates. Interestingly, patients without hypertension had higher hemorrhage volumes compared to those with hypertension. The extent of hemorrhage into the ventricles did not significantly correlate with mRS at discharge in our dataset. Conclusions: This study highlights significant differences in the characteristics and outcomes of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) between Jews and Arabs in northern Israel. The findings reveal variations in age, obesity rates, and ICH location between the two groups. While hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for both populations, other risk factors differed. Notably, hemorrhage volume emerged as a crucial prognostic factor, aligning with previously published data. These findings underscore the necessity for tailored approaches that consider ethnic-specific factors in the risk assessment, prevention, and management of ICH. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and develop interventions aimed at improving outcomes and enhancing healthcare practices in ICH management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is a leading cause of death worldwide. Multiple factors influence the severity of stroke. Normal functional and biological differences seen between the hemispheres may also be related to stroke severity. In the present study, we examined the differences in the severity of stroke as a function of stroke side, and whether patients' vagal nerve activity moderated such differences. We included 87 patients with an ischemic stroke, whose medical records were retrospectively examined for background information (age, gender), stroke side and severity by NIHSS, length of stay in hospital, inflammation such as C-reactive protein, and vagal nerve activity. The vagal activity was indexed by patients' heart-rate variability (HRV), fluctuations in the intervals between normal heartbeats, derived from patients' ECG. Results revealed that patients with left-side stroke had significantly worse NIHSS scores (10.6) than those with right-sided stroke (7.6, p < 0.05). However, when dividing the sample into those with low versus high HRV (at the median), only when HRV was low, did patients with left-side stroke have a worse NIHSS score (10.9) compared to those with right-sided stroke (6.5, p < 0.05). In contrast, no differences in stroke severity were seen between left stroke (10.2) and right stoke (8.7, p > 0.05), when HRV was high. These results tended to remain the same when statistically controlling for age effects, which was related to NIHSS, but not to the stroke side. These findings suggest that patients with left-sided stroke may have more severe strokes than those with right-sided ones, but that adequate vagal nerve activity may protect against such differences. Possible mechanisms and suggestions for future directions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]