Anemia on admission and long-term mortality risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Anemia is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure. Additionally, it has been shown that anemia increases the short-term mortality risk in patients with acute stroke.

The aim of our study was to determine the importance of anemia as a long-term mortality risk factor by itself or in combination with other risk factors.

We included 390 Caucasian patients with acute ischemic stroke in our study. Their progress was followed from the day of their admission until their death or a max. of 1,669 days. Stroke and anemia were defined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria.

Anemia was present in 57 (14.6%) patients. The patients with anemia were older (p < 0.01) and more likely to be female (p < 0.001). They had higher NIHSS scores on admission (p < 0.001) and discharge (p < 0.001), lower estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) (p < 0.001), lower serum LDL cholesterol (p < 0.01) and lower serum albumin levels (p < 0.001), while their serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were higher (p < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with anemia had higher mortality (p < 0.001). Cox's regression analysis revealed that anemia at admission was a predictor of long-term mortality in these patients (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.448, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.773-3.490; p < 0.001). Anemia remained a strong predictor of mortality after adjusting for other risk factors as well.

Anemia was frequent among our patients and was an independent predictor of long-term mortality even after adjusting for other risk factors.