APIK Journal of Internal Medicine (Jan 2021)

Study of serum uric acid and homocysteine levels in acute ischemic stroke

  • Srinith B Patil,
  • Basawaraj Belli,
  • Sangram Biradar,
  • Anil Patil

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/AJIM.AJIM_13_20
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 10 – 13

Abstract

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Introduction: Worldwide, stroke is the third most common cause of death after coronary heart disease and all cancer deaths. All the physicians have a role to play in the prevention of stroke by encouraging the reduction in risk factors. Ischemic stroke accounts for >80% of total stroke events. There is growing evidence that high serum uric acid and homocysteine levels contribute to the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, and early identification of individuals at risk could be of help in primary prevention strategies. Aims: The aim was to study the association between levels of serum uric acid and homocysteine and acute ischemic stroke and to compare them with control subjects. Materials and Methods: A case–control study was carried out among 100 subjects, which included 50 cases of first-time ischemic stroke and 50 healthy controls attending the outpatient department and casualty, in whom serum uric acid levels, serum homcysteine, and other associated risk factors were evaluated. Results: The overall mean age of the case population was 55.84 ± 15.57 years and control was 59.92 ± 11.62 years. Among the 50 cases of first-time ischemic stroke and 50 controls, males constituted 32 (64%) and 30 (60%), respectively. The mean uric acid level in case population was 5.32 ± 1.09 mg/dl and in controls was 3.21 ± 1.01 (P = 0.001). The mean homocysteine level in case population was 20.85 ± 10.85 μmol/l and in controls was 8.10 ± 3.54 (P = 0.001). Among the case population, 28 (56%) were found to have hypertension, followed by smoking 19 (38%), diabetes mellitus 18 (36%), and alcoholism 13 (26%). Conclusion: Significant elevation of both uric acid and homocysteine in a cohort of stroke patients when compared to the control group was found. Thus, it is concluded from the present study that an elevated uric acid and homocysteine level appears to be an important risk factor for stroke. Hypertension was found to be the most common modifiable risk factor.

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