This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 40/5/1917    most recent STROKEAHA.108.536698v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ramírez-Moreno, J. M. Articles by Serrano, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ramírez-Moreno, J. M. Articles by Serrano, A. Pubmed/NCBI databases Substance via MeSH Related Collections Intracerebral Hemorrhage Lipid and lipoprotein metabolism

(Stroke. 2009;40:1917.)
© 2009 American Heart Association, Inc.

Research Letters

Serum Cholesterol LDL and 90-Day Mortality in Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage

José María Ramírez-Moreno, MD; Ignacio Casado-Naranjo, MD; Juan Carlos Portilla, MD; María Luisa Calle, MD; David Tena, MD; Alfonso Falcón, MD Ana Serrano, MD

From the Section of Neurology (J.M.R.-M.), Infanta Cristina Universitary Hospital, Badajoz, Spain; and the Stroke Unit, Section of Neurology (I.C.-N., J.C.P., M.C., D.T., A.F., A.S.), San Pedro de Alcántara Hospital, Cáceres, Spain.

Correspondence to José María Ramírez-Moreno, MD, Department of Neurology, Infanta Cristina Universitary Hospital, Avenida de Elvas s/n. 06080 Badajoz, Spain. E-mail jramirezm{at}meditex.es

Background and Purpose— Prognostic significance of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the association between LDL-C and mortality in ICH.

Methods— Consecutive patients (n=88) presenting with ICH were included in the study. Lipid profile was obtained during the first hours after admission. We analyzed the impact of LDL-C on 90-day mortality using the Hazard Rate (HR) crude, analysis crude for trend by Mantel–Haenszel Test, Multiple Cox Proportional Hazards model, and analysis of survival curves. Association between LDL-C and severity markers of ICH were explored using Spearman correlation coefficient.

Results— Low LDL-C levels were independently associated with death after intracranial hemorrhage (HR=3.07 (95% CI:1.04 to 9.02; P=0.042) in multivariable analysis after controlling for confounding factors. Analysis for trend showed a significant association (Xt=–2.144; P=0.032) by Mantel-Haenszel Test. Spearman analysis showed no correlation between LDL-C and variables that are markers of ICH severity: NIH score (r=–0.091; P=0.400), GCS score (r=0.136; P=0.207), ICH volume (r=0.140; P=0.192), and length of stay (r=–0.111; P=0.308).

Conclusions— Low levels of LDL-C are independently associated with an increased risk of death in patients with brain hemorrhage. We have not found evidences that the levels of LDL-C can act as a biological marker of severity.

Key Words: cardiovascular disease • intracerebral haemorrhage • prognosis • cholesterol • low-density lipoprotein cholesterol