Stress Hyperglycemia and Stroke Outcome in Patients with Acute Stroke

Stroke is leading cause of death world wide, after coronary artery disease and cancer. A high proportion of patients suffering from an acute stress such as stroke or myocardial infarction may develop hyperglycemia, even in the absence of a preexisting diagnosis of diabetes. An observational comparative study was carried out at the Department of Neurology and Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh from July 2011 to June 2013 among purposively selected ninety-three patients with a view to assess the outcome of stress hyperglycemia on acute stroke. Data were collected through interview, physical examinations & laboratory investigations by using case record form. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical package for social science) version 17. The mean age of this study was 59.04±15.01 years in the hyperglycemic group and 62.06±13.81 years in the normoglycemic group. The male female ratio in the Hyperglycemic and normoglycemic group was 2.12:1 and 2.44:1 respectively. Smoker was 48.8% in the hyperglycemic group and 52% in the normoglycemic group. 70% of the Hyperglycemic group and 66% of the normoglycemic were found hypertensive. Mean±SD blood glucose level was found 11.86±0.58mmol/L in the Hyperglycemic group and 6.50±1.55mmol/L in the normoglycemic group. Mean HbAlc were 6.14±0.56 in hyperglycemic group and 5.29±0.54 in normoglycemic group. Stroke severity score were 21.79±11.85 in Hyperglycemic and 28.64±9.53 in normoglycemic group on admission. Functional outcome was measured on discharge & at the end of 4th weeks of every patient by Glasgo Outcome Scale (GOS). The study also suggests that stress hyperglycemia is an important risk factor of poor stroke outcome.