Table 1

Characteristics of incident IS cases and controls

	UK (IMRD-UK)				Denmark (RSD)
	Cases n=615		Controls n=3075		Cases n=643		Controls n=6430
	N	%	N	%	N	%	N	%
Demographics
Males	345	56.1	1725	56.1	358	55.7	3580	55.7
Females	270	43.9	1350	43.9	285	44.3	2850	44.3
Age <60 years	35	5.7	171	5.6	24	3.7	244	3.8
Age 60–69 years	79	12.8	342	11.1	78	12.1	778	12.1
Age 70–79 years	198	32.2	981	31.9	235	36.5	2320	36.2
Age ≥80 years	303	49.3	1581	51.4	306	47.6	3078	47.9
Referrals (UK)/outpatient visits (Denmark)*
0–1	58	9.4	365	11.9	157	24.4	1879	29.2
2–4	94	15.3	643	20.9	125	19.4	1429	22.2
5–9	150	24.4	794	25.8	136	21.2	1380	21.5
10–14	113	18.4	564	18.3	77	12.0	650	10.1
15–19	88	14.3	335	10.9	51	7.9	399	6.2
≥20	112	18.2	374	12.2	97	15.1	693	10.8
Hospitalisations*
None	283	46.0	2134	69.4	347	54.0	4223	65.7
1	157	25.5	457	14.9	128	19.9	1078	16.8
2	72	11.7	231	7.5	79	12.3	522	8.1
≥3	103	16.7	253	8.2	89	13.8	607	9.4
Cerebrovascular disease before the start date
IS	127	20.7	350	11.4	209	32.5	1037	16.1
ICB	25	4.1	56	1.8	32	5.0	196	3.0
Comorbidities before the index date
Myocardial infarction	94	15.3	398	12.9	107	16.6	856	13.3
Heart failure	139	22.6	656	21.3	139	21.6	1269	19.7
DVT/PE	73	11.79	385	12.5	44	6.8	483	7.5
PAD	52	8.5	201	6.5	90	14.0	547	8.5
Cancer	187	30.4	841	27.3	132	20.5	1300	20.2
Hypertension	441	71.7	2139	69.6	550	85.5	5350	83.2
Diabetes	170	27.6	734	23.9	164	25.5	1322	20.6
COPD	104	16.9	370	12.0	91	14.2	820	12.8
Dementia	39	6.3	158	5.1	36	5.6	321	5.0
Medication use†
Antiplatelets	157	25.5	470	15.3	149	23.2	1124	17.5
Antiarrhythmics	40	6.5	357	11.6	41	6.4	492	7.7
Digoxin	101	16.4	500	16.3	136	21.2	1223	19.0
Statins	292	47.5	1613	52.5	254	39.5	2656	41.3
Antihypertensives	495	80.5	2588	84.2	370	57.5	3691	57.4
NSAIDs	12	2.0	51	1.7	33	5.1	214	3.3

Adjusted by the number of referrals/outpatient contacts in the year before the index date, the number of hospitalisations in the year before the index date, use of an antiplatelet medication 0–7 days before the index date, use of an antiarrhythmic medication 0–7 days before the index date (UK analysis only) and cerebrovascular disease before the start date.
*In the year before the index date.
†Medication use was use on the index date or within 7 days before the index date; the reference group was non-use (no prescription before the index date).
.COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DVT, deep vein thrombosis; ICB, intracranial bleeding; IMRD-UK, IQVIA Medical Research Data-UK; IS, ischaemic stroke; NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug; PAD, peripheral artery disease; ; PE, pulmonary embolism.