Baseline characteristics of patients with TAK included in the study
| Total (n=1065) | Patients who had a stroke (n=73) | Patients who had no stroke (n=992) | P value | |
| Age at diagnosis (years) | 46.7±15.0 | 49.5±13.4 | 46.5±15.2 | 0.101 |
| <20 | 51 (4.8) | 3 (4.1) | 48 (4.8) | 0.116 |
| 20–29 | 113 (10.6) | 1 (1.4) | 112 (11.3) | |
| 30–39 | 146 (13.7) | 12 (16.4) | 134 (13.5) | |
| 40–49 | 263 (24.7) | 18 (24.7) | 245 (24.7) | |
| 50–59 | 280 (26.3) | 26 (35.6) | 254 (25.6) | |
| 60–69 | 152 (14.3) | 8 (11.0) | 144 (14.5) | |
| ≥70 | 60 (5.6) | 5 (6.8) | 55 (5.6) | |
| Sex, n (%) | 0.518 | |||
| Female | 867 (81.4) | 62 (84.9) | 805 (81.1) | |
| Male | 198 (18.6) | 11 (15.1) | 187 (18.9) | |
| Type of insurance, n (%) | 0.157 | |||
| National Health Insurance | 1034 (97.1) | 69 (94.5) | 965 (97.3) | |
| Medical aid | 31 (2.9) | 4 (5.5) | 27 (2.7) | |
| Comorbidities | ||||
| Hypertension | 0.904 | |||
| No | 569 (53.4) | 40 (54.8) | 529 (53.3) | |
| Yes | 496 (46.6) | 33 (45.2) | 463 (46.7) | |
| Diabetes mellitus | 0.924 | |||
| No | 858 (80.6) | 58 (79.4) | 800 (80.6) | |
| Yes | 207 (19.4) | 15 (20.6) | 192 (19.4) | |
| Dyslipidaemia | 0.436 | |||
| No | 544 (51.1) | 41 (56.2) | 503 (50.7) | |
| Yes | 521 (48.9) | 32 (43.8) | 489 (49.3) | |
| Atrial fibrillation and flutter | 0.303 | |||
| No | 1029 (96.6) | 69 (94.5) | 960 (96.8) | |
| Yes | 36 (3.4) | 4 (5.5) | 32 (3.2) | |
| Administered medication | ||||
| Immunosuppressive treatments | ||||
| Glucocorticoid treatment ≥3 months | 538 (50.5) | 16 (21.9) | 522 (52.6) | <0.001 |
| Azathioprine | 201 (18.9) | 6 (8.2) | 195 (19.7) | 0.024 |
| Methotrexate | 366 (34.4) | 11 (15.1) | 355 (35.8) | <0.001 |
| Antiplatelet therapy | ||||
| Aspirin | 655 (62.4) | 31 (42.5) | 634 (63.9) | <0.001 |
| Clopidogrel | 299 (28.1) | 16 (21.9) | 283 (28.5) | 0.281 |
| Statins | 610 (57.3) | 25 (34.3) | 585 (59.0) | <0.001 |
| Follow-up duration (years) | 4.29 (2.66) | 1.44 (2.06) | 4.51 (2.57) | <0.001 |
Values are shown as mean (SD) or number (percentages).
TAK, Takayasu arteritis.