Prevalence of Microalbuminuria and Its Association with Stroke Severity in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Hospital-Based Observational Study

Background: Microalbuminuria is an indicator of endothelial dysfunction and systemic vascular damage. It is also expressed in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), which can imply more severe stroke damage and microvascular destruction. The current research aims to identify the rate of microalbuminuria among AIS patients, as well as how it correlates with the severity of stroke. Material and Methods: This was a hospital-based observational study that involved 120 consecutive patients with AIS clinically and radiologically confirmed. Clinical and demographic information was taken. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to measure the stroke severity. The spot urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) was used to measure microalbuminuria, with results of 30-300 mg/g considered positive. Patients were classified as having microalbuminuria or as having negative results. Some statistical analysis was also conducted, which determined the associations between microalbuminuria and stroke severity. Results: The microalbuminuria was observed in 52 (43.3%) patients. Patients with microalbuminuria had a significantly higher mean NIHSS score than those without (14.6±3.8 vs. 9.2±2.9; p < 0.001). There was a more severe stroke (NIHSS >15) in the microalbuminuria group (65.4%) compared to the non-microalbuminuria group (26.5%) (p < 0.001). Microalbuminuria also had a strong relationship with hypertension and diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). Conclusion: AIS has microalbuminuria that is prevalent and highly related to the severity of stroke. Urinary ACR measurement can be a good and easy biomarker to stratify the risk of using individual variations in acute ischemic stroke.

Keywords: Acute ischemic stroke; Microalbuminuria; NIHSS; Stroke severity; Endothelial dysfunction; Prognosis.