Are higher total serum cholesterol levels associated with better long-term motor function after ischemic stroke?
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to investigate the prognostic role of total cholesterol (TC) level on the long-term motor function after ischemic stroke.


METHODS
One hundred and fourteen patients with ischemic stroke were included and divided into high total cholesterol (HTC; TC ≧5.18 mmol/l or ≧200 mg/dl) and low total cholesterol (LTC; TC <5.18 mmol/l or <200 mg/dl) groups. The motor outcome was evaluated using the motor score of the Fugl-Meyer assessment (MFMA) at 2 weeks (baseline), 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after stroke. Prognostic factors on the repeated measurements of the MFMA were investigated using the linear mixed regression model.


RESULTS
The TC, basal ganglion lesion, baseline MFMA, first-time stroke, and follow-up time were identified as significant predictors for serial MFMA scores. The HTC group had higher MFMA scores than the LTC group by 2.72 units (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.17, 5.27, P = 0.037). An elevation of one unit of baseline MFMA led to a 0.86 increase (95% CI: 0.82, 0.90, P < 0.001) of subsequent MFMA scores. Subjects with basal ganglion lesions had lower MFMA scores by -3.55 (95% CI: -5.97, -1.14, P = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
Higher total cholesterol at the acute phase of ischemic stroke is a favorable prognostic factor for long-term motor function.
Yih-tsen
YT
Lai
Ching-lin
CL
Hsieh
Hung-pin
HP
Lee
Shin-liang
SL
Pan
D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood*
D002784:Cholesterol