Sanjay Neeralagi, Chandrashekar K, Ajmeer Pasha, Chetan K. Ganteppanavar, Praveen N
BACKGROUND C-reactive protein is an inflammatory marker. The inflammation plays an important role in the atherogenesis. There is an evidence of the prognostic importance of C-reactive protein (CRP) in ischemic stroke. In this study, we assessed the prognostic values of CRP in ischemic stroke and predicting outcomes. Aims and Objectives- To evaluate the role of CRP in acute ischemic stroke. To assess the levels of CRP in acute ischemic stroke and in follow-up and CRP as a risk factor in acute ischemic stroke MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied 71 patients admitted in department of general medicine, Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubli, with either hypertension or diabetes or both or none without thrombolysis. Patients with first ever acute ischemic stroke, were examined considering all inclusion and exclusion criteria. CT scan of brain is done in all patients to confirm ischemic stroke and plasma CRP level was measured in all CT confirmed patients, and patients were followed-up for a period of three months and reassessed by NIHS scale and plasma CRP level. RESULTS In the ischemic stroke, we found that serum CRP level on admission was predictive of stroke severity (positively correlated with NIHSS), CRP was elevated >6 mg/dl in 50 patients out of 71 patients at the time of admission which was statistically significant. High CRP was associated with high NIHSS and high long-term mortality. CONCLUSION The CRP level is significantly higher in ischemic stroke and its elevation between 12-72 hours of symptom onset is a bad prognostic indicator. Elevated CRP level was a risk factor in association with other risk factors like diabetes hypertension.
