Hypercoagulability is a stronger risk factor for ischaemic stroke than for myocardial infarction : A systematic review

Background and Purpose: Hypercoagulability increases the risk of arterial thrombosis; however, this effect may differ between various manifestations of arterial disease. Methods: In this study, we compared the effect of coagulation factors asmeasures of hypercoagulability on the risk of ischaemic stroke (IS) and myocardial infarction (MI) by performing a systematic review of the literature. The effect of a risk factor on IS (relative risk for IS, RRIS) was compared with the effect on MI (RRMI) by calculating their ratio (RRR = RRIS/RRMI). A relevant differential effect was considered when RRR was >1+ its own standard error (SE) or 1+1SE) was found in 49/343 (14%) markers. Of these, 18/49 (37%) had an RRR greater than 1+2SE. On the opposite side, a larger effect on MI risk (RRR