Background: Ischemic stroke remains a major health care problem and a leading cause of morbidity and
mortality. The role of serum uric acid (SUA) in cerebrovascular ischemic stroke (CVIS) is controversial. It is
unclear whether it promotes or protects against the cerebrovascular disease or simply acts as a passive marker of
increased risk. Aim of the study: to detect SUA level in acute CVIS patients and to investigate the relationship
between it and stroke severity, outcome, and infarction size. Methods and Results: In this case control study, forty
CVIS patients (26 males & 14 females) and twenty age matched control subjects were recruited for this study.
Serum uric acid was estimated by Uricase method. Assessment of severity of stroke was done based on Canadian
Neurological Scale. Assessment of outcome on discharge was done based on Barthel index score. In this study
serum uric acid levels were raised in stroke cases when compared to controls on admission. The mean and standard
deviation of uric acid were 7.5±2.15 in cases and 4.25±0.88 in controls with significant p value of < 0.001. Cases
with high uric acid levels had low severity and outcome scores which indicate poor prognosis. Mean value of SUA
level in 4 patients who died was significantly higher than other patients who survived with significant p value of <
0.001. Mean SUA level was higher among patients with large infarction size (mean value: 8.76 mg/dL).
Conclusion: Elevated levels of serum uric acid can be used as one of the factors that predicts poor prognosis of
ischemic stroke. |
