Abstract
BACKGROUND: Stroke is an inflammatory state that causes death and chronic disability. Inflammation and oxidative stress are a predictor of poor clinical outcome, its effects are controversial and has not been evaluated in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of CT head confirmed ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke admitted within 7 days of onset of motor weakness. Baseline CRP, NLR and baseline glucose was measured with subsequent modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score on day 14 post-stroke. Cox proportional hazard model was fitted to determine hazard ratios of mortality with CRP, NLR and blood glucose. RESULTS: Out of 120 patients, 51.7% were female, 52.5% had ischemic stroke and the overall median age was 65 (IQR 54-80) years. Nineteen (15.8%) patients died within a median survival time of 7 days, while 32 (25.8%) died by day 14 after stroke. CONCLUSION: High C-reactive protein and stroke related hyperglycemia conferred statistically significant hazards of mortality among patients with acute and subacute stroke.