Study of C-Reactive Protein Level in Patients of Acute Ischemic Stroke and Its Correlation With Serum Lipid Profile

Objective: To study the level of C- reactive protein as an independent risk factor in patients of ischemic stroke taking into account other risk factors and to correlate the concentration of CRP with serum lipids in ischemic stroke. Research Design and Methods: C- reactive protein, Total cholesterol (TC), LDL-Cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and prevalence of hypertension were assessed in 100 cases of ischemic stroke and TIA admitted in various medical wards of a tertiary care hospital included in this study in 2010-2011. Results: There was a statistically significant positive crude correlation between C-reactive protein and TC, TG and LDL-Cholesterol (all P < 0.001). A negative correlation was found between C-reactive protein and HDL cholesterol, P<0.001). Out of 100 patients of acute ischemic stroke, 70% of patients had raised CRP while 30% of patients had low level of CRP. Conclusions: The finding of the present study clearly reveals that increased level of C-reactive protein is associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke. Thus C-reactive protein levels may be taken up as an important laboratory marker in determining the future risk of cerebrovascular accident.