Study of atherogenic lipid profile, high sensitive C-reactive protein neurological deficit and short-term outcome in stroke subtypes

Stroke is one of the most frequent causes of death and disability worldwide and has significant clinical and socioeconomic impact. Hyperlipidemia and inflammation play major roles in atherothrombosis and in stroke. This study is conducted to compare the high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and the lipid profile parameters between stroke patients and control group and demonstrate correlation between markers, neurological deficit, and short-term outcome.

We have studied a total 162 patients according to inclusion criteria. Serum level of hs-CRP and lipid profile estimated and correlated with neurological deficit and short-term outcome.

We found stroke patients had significantly higher levels of hs-CRP, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and low level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) than control. When we compared ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke (HS), data show increased level of triglyceride, LDL and HDL, and decreased the level of hs-CRP in ischemic stroke group than HS group. However, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score significantly higher in HS as compared to ischemic stroke at the time of admission and on the 7(th) day.

Thus, continuous clinical observation is necessary for clear differentiation of those changes. Furthermore, the determination of some reliable soluble markers of neuronal damage in blood and cerebrospinal fluid in the early infarction period would be much easier and more useful for tracking the course and prognosis of the disease and for any appropriate therapeutic approach.