A STUDY ON PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF SERUM CORTISOL IN STROKE AND ITS CORRELATION WITH NIHSS SCORE

Abstract

Background: There are numerous clinical factors that have been identied as potential outcome predictors in patients with acute stroke, including symptom, severity, and advanced age. After an acute stroke, the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is activated as a result of the stress response. Abiomarker for predicting the outcome of an acute stroke is desperately needed. Aim and Objective:To assess the relationship of single serum cortisol level to the typeand severity of strokeand its correlation with NIHSS score. Methods: 100 new cases of stroke, within 72 hours of the onset, admitted in Alluri Sitarama Raju Academy of Medical Sciences from January 2021 to June 2022 were included in the study. CT Brain was taken to differentiate between ischemic and Haemorrhagic stroke. NIHSS (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale) score was assessed for severity. Serum cortisol levels were measured at admission. Correlation between serum cortisol levels and stroke scales were assessed. Results: Of the 100 cases,50 patients had ischemic(Group A), and 50 patients had hemorrhagic stroke(Group B). The Mean NIHSS score was signicantly higher in group B compared to group A(P<0.001).There was a statistically signicant correlation with raised serum cortisol levels and the severity of stroke irrespective of type of stroke P<0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, serum cortisol is a prognostic indicator of severity of stroke. Serum cortisol level was found to have a signicant positive correlation with worse outcome of stroke