Association between metabolic syndrome and prognosis in acute ischemic non-embolic stroke

Abstract

To investigate the association between metabolic syndrome (MS) and stroke severity in at-admission patients with acute ischemic non-embolic stroke and to study the impact of MS upon prognosis; and to assess the relative influence of each of five components of MS upon the risk of stroke severity. The consecutive cases of ischemic stroke were prospectively registered in neurology wards from March 2006 to March 2008. Only those patients with an onset of stroke within 24 hours were included. The outcomes were followed up at the end of 3 months after stroke onset. MS was defined according to the Chinese Diabetes Society criteria. Logistic regression was used to estimate the correlation of MS and prognosis. A total of 342 patients with acute ischemic non-embolic stroke within 24 hours from onset were included. Eighty six patients (50 males, 36 females) had MS. The prevalence of individual components of MS was significantly higher in patients with MS as compared with those without. The delay from onset of symptoms to hospital admission and MS were associated with severe stroke in multiple logistic regression model (RR = 2.45, 95%CI, 1.14-5.27; RR = 1.85, 95%CI, 1.06-6.25 respectively). Analysis of the association between the development risk of sever stroke showed that hyperglycemia and low triglyceride level had associations with severe stroke (RR = 3.02, 95%CI, 1.75-8.59; RR = 0.85, 95%CI, 0.24-0.96 respectively). MS was not an independent predictor for case fatality and poor outcome 3 months after stroke onset (all P > 0.05). Not an independent predictor for mortality and poor outcome at 3 months after stroke onset, MS is an independent predictor for the severity of stroke and there is a higher development risk of severe stroke. Among MS components, hyperglycemia and low triglyceride level are correlated with the development risk of severe stroke. This finding has important clinical implication and confirms the importance of glycemic control during acute phase of ischemic stroke.