Assessment of the relationship between blood glucose indices and short-term outcome of patients with acute stroke in a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka

Background: Studies reveal an inconsistent relationship between the prognostic effects of hyperglycaemia in acute stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between blood sugar indices and short-term neurological deficit and short-term mortality in acute stroke patients.
Methodology: This prospective study included acute stroke patients admitted to the National Hospital Kandy in Sri Lanka, using systematic random sampling. The random blood sugar (RBS) measurements on admission were recorded. The NIHSS score was used to assess the stroke severity on admission, on discharge, and 30 days post-stroke. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to assess the 30-day functional outcome following the stroke. The data were analysed using Fisher's exact test and Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Results: For the 389 patients the mean age was 69 (±SD12) years with a female predominance (N=247,63.5%). There was a weak, positive, and significant correlation (r=0.164. N=307, P<0.05) between admission blood sugar value on the degree of disability (NIHSS) at the time of discharge.
Among patients who died within 30 days, despite higher RBS (M=181.22, SD=92.12) compared to live patients (M=181.22, SD=92.12), no significant association was seen. Furthermore, 91 respondents at 30 days follow-up for the mRS were significantly associated with stroke type.