Publication:

Blood glucose level on admission as potential indicator of in-hospital mortality in non-diabetic patients presenting with acute stroke

Background A stroke or cerebrovascular accident is defined as an abrupt onset of a neurologic deficit that is attributable to a focal vascular cause. Stress hyperglycemia has been defined as hyperglycemia in previously euglycemic patients that corrects once the acute process resolves.

Methods The present study was conducted in the medicine department, Guru Nanak Dev hospital attached to government medical college, Amritsar from April 2021-December 2021 after taking approval from institutional ethics committee. This was a prospective observational study. A total of 50 non-diabetic patients of acute stroke with age group >18 to <75 of either sex were enrolled in this study. Comparison of mortality was done in hyperglycemic and non hypergylcemic non-diabetic patients on 1st day of admission and up to 10th day during hospital stay.

Results Mortality percentage on day 1 was higher among those who had high blood glucose levels but there was no significant association between glucose levels and day 1 outcome (survival or death) observed in our study (p=0.078). Mortality percentage on day 10 was higher among those who had high blood glucose levels and there was significant association between glucose levels and day 10 outcome (survival or death) observed in our study (p=0.001). A significant association was observed between glucose levels and overall outcome in our study (p<0.001).

Conclusions We conclude that even in non-diabetic patients, hyperglycemia on admission is independently associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality.