Thyroid function status of patients at admission and its relation to clinical profile and outcome in acute ischemic stroke

ABSTRACT Background: Thyroid functions can influence the severity of stroke, the clinical presentation, and morbidity in patients. Objective: This observational study aimed to investigate the effect of thyroid function on stroke outcome at admission and discharge. Materials and Methods: Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT 3 ), and free thyroxine (fT 4 ) were evaluated upon admission and discharge in acute ischemic stroke patients. Stroke severity, disability, and independence were estimated both on admission and discharge. Results: Fifty patients (35 men and 15 women), in the age range of 19–75 years, were enrolled. The number of patients diagnosed to have moderate stroke and moderate-to-severe stroke on admission was 39 and 9 and on discharge was 30 and 3, respectively. Moderate-to-severe disability was seen in 23 patients on admission and in 6 on discharge. Moderate disability was observed in 20 and 19 patients at admission and discharge, respectively. Moderate dependence was observed in 32 patients on admission and 19 patients on discharge. Severe dependence was observed in 12 patients on admission and 3 patients on discharge. 18 patients had low fT 3 values. Normal TSH, fT 3 and fT 4 values were seen in 42, 32 and 48 patients respectively. Serum fT 3 levels negatively correlated with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score r = −0.429, P = 0.002; Modified Rankin Scale −0.380, P = 0.007, and positively correlated with Barthel Index r = 0.501, P < 0.001. Conclusions: Low fT 3 level found in patients with acute ischemic stroke on admission was associated with severity of disease, disability and dependence, at admission as well as discharge.