23 mars 2023
Lesbian, gay, transgender, intersex… According to an American study, people who identify with one of these minorities are exposed to a higher risk of stroke.
Being part of a group discriminated against because of gender or sexual preferences would be associated with increased cardiovascular risk. In any case, a recent American study points to the link between an increased risk of stroke and recognizing oneself in the acronym LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bi, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual).
To find out, researchers from UC San Francisco and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital reviewed the medical records of 26 stroke survivors who identified as gender or sexual minority. They then compared these records with those of 78 patients in a control group.
Additional risk factors
Traditional risk factors such as smoking, hypertension or diabetes were equivalent in the two groups. On the other hand, the “minority” group presented more other risk factors, such as being HIV-positive and having had a history of syphilis or hepatitis C. These sexually transmitted infections increase the risk of stroke due to associated inflammation and narrowing of blood vessels.
Are these risk factors sufficient to explain the increased risk? “It should be noted that these people are also more likely to be screened than others “, specify the authors. Which therefore advance other hypotheses to justify this link. “A higher prevalence of obesity, the effects of discrimination on vascular health and limited access to care” may explain this increased risk, which is also illustrated by an earlier age of stroke onset: 55 years on average in the minority group against 69 in the other group.
Last observation: the “minority” group also had a greater risk of suffering from recurrent strokes. To determine the cause of this other excess risk, the researchers suggest exploring the role of stress linked to the very fact of belonging to a minority. In effect, “stigma, prejudice and discrimination create a stressful environment that can translate into health problems”they conclude.