The Role Of Serum Electrolyte Level In Stroke Prognosis

Background and introductionAcute stroke is one of the common medical emergencies in India that contribute to mortality as well as morbidity. NIHSS scale is still the best clinical conglomerate for initial evaluation of stroke, while Modified Rankin scale performed at 3 months is a simple scale to gauge long-term neurological deficit. Hyponatremia is a common accompanying electrolyte disturbance with short as well as long-term implications in stroke. Aim and objectivesWith this background, a study with the following objectives was planned: 1. To estimate the incidence of electrolyte disturbance in acute ischemic stroke, 2. To determine the association of electrolyte disturbances with clinical assessment scales like NIHSS scale, ASPECT score, and MRS-3-month score. Material and MethodsA prospective observational study was conducted on forty-five patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke diagnosed on imaging studies and evaluated for electrolytes (Na+, K+, Cl-). Results55% patients had some or other electrolyte disturbance, hyponatremia(33%) being the most common, while hyperchloremia(15%) was the second. The NIHSS score showed better correlation with MRS score than ASPECT score or electrolyte disturbances. ConclusionHyponatremia was found to be the most common electrolyte disturbance in acute ischemic stroke. This study attempted to underscore the role of electrolyte disturbance in the prognostication of acute stroke. As electrolyte measurement is feasible in low resource settings; its relevance and utility are even more pronounced.