title: The impact of anemia on the course and short-term prognosis in patients with first ever ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anemia is the risk factor for cerebrovascular events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of anemia among patients with first-ever stroke and its impact on neurological state in the acute phase of the disease and the degree of disability in short-term follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective study included 107 patients aged 72.81 ± 11.12 with the first-ever stroke. Each patient underwent CT of the head and blood tests, including Hb concentration on the first day of hospitalization. We have analyzed the neurological state on the first day of stroke by NIHSS and the functional status on the 14th day after the onset of stroke by mRankin scale in patients with and without anemia. Patients with anemia were additionally divided according to Hb level (less or over 11g/dl).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with Hb≤ 11g/dl significantly more often achieved a score of 4-5 points on mRankin scale on the 14th day of stroke compared to patients with anemia and Hb>11g/dl. Independent predictors of a worse functional status on the 14th day of stroke in patients with anemia include the neurological state on the 1st day and the hemispheric location of stroke; an independent predictor of death was the neurological state on the 1st day of onset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mild anemia did not influence significantly the neurological condition in acute phase of stroke but worsened the functional status in subacute phase of stroke. The neurological state on the first day of stroke and the hemispheric location of cerebral ischemia are independent factors of poor prognosis in patients with anemia in short-term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Silesia Hospital No. 7, Professor Leszek Giec Upper Silesian Medical Centre, Katowice, Poland. Electronic address: alasek@gcm.pl.
authors.forename: Anetta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lasek-Bal
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, Medical University of Silesia Hospital No. 7, Professor Leszek Giec Upper Silesian Medical Centre, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holecki
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Silesia Hospital No. 7, Professor Leszek Giec Upper Silesian Medical Centre, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stęposz
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, Medical University of Silesia Hospital No. 7, Professor Leszek Giec Upper Silesian Medical Centre, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duława
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins
keywords: Anemia; Cerebrovascular event; Stroke