Association of Stroke Clinical Outcomes with Coexistence of Hyperglycemia and Biomarkers of Inflammation

Background: To investigate the association of short-term clinical outcomes with coexistence of hyperglycemia and elevated biomarkers of inflammation among acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 2675 patients diagnosed with AIS from January 2006 to December 2008. The study outcomes were defined as neurologic deficiency (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score >= 5) at discharge or death during hospitalization. Results: Compared with normoglycemia and without any elevated biomarkers, patients with hyperglycemia, elevated white blood cell (WBC) count, elevated neutrophils ratio (NEUR), and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) had higher rates of study outcomes (all P < .05). Furthermore, patients with coexistence of hyperglycemia with any of elevated WBC count, NEUR, or ESR were more likely to have study outcomes (all P < .05). Compared with subjects with normoglycaemia and without any elevated biomarker, multivariate adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of study outcomes associated with hyperglycemia, elevated WBC count, elevated NEUR, elevated ESR, coexistences of hyperglycemia with elevated WBC count, elevated NEUR, and elevated ESR were 1.492 (1.139-1.955), 1.404 (1.048-1.881), 1.897 (1.411-2.551), 2.184 (1.339-3.564), 1.963 (1.337-2.883), 2.544 (1.715-3.775), and 2.687 (1.347-5.363), respectively. Conclusions: This study indicated that hyperglycemia and elevated biomarkers of inflammation were associated with short-term clinical outcomes, and individuals with coexistence of hyperglycemia and elevated biomarkers of inflammation had higher risk of poor clinical outcomes among AIS patients.