Clinico-radiological correlation between serum calcium and acute ischemic stroke

Background: Ischemic injury in stroke leads to intracellular calcium accumulation, which activates the enzyme cascade causing cell death. Aims: To determine the correlation between serum calcium (Ca) and albumin-corrected calcium (CCa) levels with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) for short-term outcome and infarct size (IS). Methods: An observational study was carried out in 50 patients in a tertiary care hospital in India over 2 years (from December 2008 to December 2010). Patients presenting within 72 h of stroke onset and aged ≥40 years were included. Ca was measured, CCa calculated, and head computed tomography (CT) scan was done. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was calculated on admission and after 1 week, and Barthel Index (BI) was calculated at 1 week. Pearson′s correlation coefficient was calculated between NIHSS, BI, and IS with both, Ca and CCa. Also, subgroup analysis was done in lacunar, lobar, anterior circulation, posterior circulation, unilateral, and bilateral stroke subgroups. Results: Ca had a significant correlation with NIHSS, BI, and IS (all patients), with BI in lacunar and unilateral strokes and both NIHSS (admission) and BI in lobar, anterior circulation, and bilateral strokes. CCa had a significant correlation with IS and with BI in all patients and in anterior circulation strokes. NIHSS (admission) and BI had a significant correlation with IS. Conclusions: Higher Ca (CCa in some subgroups) is associated with better prognosis and recovery after AIS (except in posterior circulation strokes), and higher Ca and CCa are both associated with smaller IS