INTRODUCTION: Stroke is an episode of acute atraumatic infarction of brain, retina or spinal cord in a defined vascular distribution which may be due to arterial thrombosis, intracranial or subarachnoid hemorrhage or cerebral venous thrombosis. Inflammation and elevated plasma lipids leading to atherosclerosis have been implicated in the development of atherothrombotic stroke. The present study evaluates the acute phase reactant namely C–reactive protein and lipid levels in the patients suffering acute ischemic stroke and their correlation with patient outcome in hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 patients admitted within 72 hours of stroke symptom onset with CT evidence of first ischemic stroke were evaluated clinically, investigated for CRP levels and lipid profile and their outcome was recorded.

RESULTS: Our stroke patients had a mean age of 64.76 years with 34%females and 66%males. The risk factors noted were hypertension (60%), smoking (58%) and diabetes mellitus (26%).Common presentations included hemiparesis/plegia (72%), aphasia (28%), and cranial nerve involvement (26%).The mean CRP level was 6.034 mg/dl. In 78% of patients CRP level exceeded 0.6 mg/dl. The mean serum cholesterol was 179.02 mg/dl and a mean serum LDL–C level of 110.6 mg/dl. A CRP level >0.6 mg/dl was associated with higher mean serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Patients with CRP >0.6 mg/dl and LDL–C more than116.7mg/dl had 7 fatalities out of 39 as compared to no fatalities in those with CRP <0.6 mg/dl and LDL–C <80.09 mg/dl.

CONCLUSION: A C–reactive protein level exceeding 0.6 mg/dl may be an important risk factor for ischemic stroke . A CRP level > 0.6mg/dl with LDL–C >116.7mg/dl was associated with poor outcome in ischemic stroke.