Serum Uric Acid as an Independent Risk Factor for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Abstract Background: Stroke is a neurological deficit due to acute focal injury of the central nervous system due to any vascular cause. The role of serum uric acid as a risk factor for acute stroke is an area of importance to many researchers. We in the current study tried to determine the levels of serum uric acid in cases of acute ischemic stroke and compare them with those in age and sex-matched controls. Methods: This hospital-based case-control study was performed in the Department of General Medicine, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences, Naganoor, Karimnagar. All the subjects were interviewed, examined, and investigated as per the predesigned and pre-tested proforma. Biochemical investigations included estimation of serum uric acid, serum triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, Renal function tests, and Liver function tests. Results: Mean Serum Uric Acid level was lower in the patients with lacunar stroke as compared to the patients with larger infarcts (6.16 ± 1.68 mg/dl vs. 6.73 ± 2.07 mg/dl). Butthisdifference was not statistically significant as the p-value is >0.05.The correlation between SUA and NIHSS score was studied with the help of Spearman rank correlation. It was found that there was a significant positive correlation between SUA and NIH stroke scale score on admission as well as at the time of discharge (p<0.05 for both). Conclusion: Elevated serum uric acid level is independently associated with acute ischemic stroke. It was observed that serum uric acid levels were correlated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. It was found that cases with elevated serum acid levels had poor prognosis and overall mortality rate.