Life Expectancy After Incident Ischemic Stroke in a Bi‐Ethnic Population: Estimates Over 2005 to 2022

BACKGROUND: This study measured 5- and 10-year life expectancy after an incident ischemic stroke using a high-quality sample of Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic White patients over a recent period. METHODS: Data were from the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi Project. The sample included 2011 Mexican American and 1262 non-Hispanic White men and women who had an incident ischemic stroke during 2005 to 2022 and were aged 45 years or older at the time of stroke. Participants were followed up to 18 years. Primary outcome was 5- and 10-year life expectancy. Discrete-time logistic regression models were implemented. RESULTS: Mean age at incident stroke was 69 years. There was no difference in the odds of dying between Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic White men and women after adjustment for age at stroke and sex. Among men, an incident stroke at age 70 years was associated with a 10-year life expectancy of 6.4 years (95% CI: 6.1-6.6) in Mexican Americans and 6.5 years (95% CI: 6.2-6.9) in non-Hispanic White adults. Among women, the analogous 10-year life expectancy was 6.7 years (95% CI: 6.3-6.8) in Mexican Americans and 6.8 years (95% CI: 6.4-7.0) in non-Hispanic White adults. Comparing these estimates to life expectancy at age 70 in the general US population indicates that stroke is associated with a life shortening effect of 2.1 to 2.4 years over 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Life expectancy after an ischemic stroke did not differ between Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic White adults. Incident ischemic stroke remains associated with substantial life shortening effects in the recent period.