Do High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels Influence Stroke Severity?

Abstract

Low-serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of stroke in various populations, including young patients. Severity of stroke is an important determinant of outcome and may be affected by baseline HDL cholesterol level. In all, 241 consecutive patients presenting within 24 hours of ischemic stroke onset were evaluated with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and had fasting serum HDL levels collected the morning after admission. We determined the impact of low HDL cholesterol (<35 mg/dL) and age on median NIHSS score, controlling for the possible confounders. Among the 241 patients, mean age was 69.5 years, 53% were male, and the median NIHSS score was 5 (range: 0-35). There was no association between low-serum HDL and NIHSS score at presentation for the overall group (6 v 5, P = .385). In young patients (</=50 years), low HDL level was associated with more severe stroke (NIHSS score 15 v 4, P = .005). The association of HDL with stroke severity remained significant after adjusting for all factors (13 v 2, P = .01). Overall, low-serum HDL was not associated with stroke severity. There may be an association of higher serum HDL with reduced stroke severity in patients aged 50 years and younger.