Correlation between acute ischemic stroke, higher total cholesterol level and high barthel index score

Objectives: To determine the correlation between higher total cholesterol level and high Barthel Index score in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at Radiology department and Medical Unit 1, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad for duration of 6 months from January 2015 to June 2015. 200 patients were included through Consecutive [non-probability] sampling technique. All the patients were undergone CT scan Brain from the radiology department of the Allied hospital to determine the respective changes [hypo dense area] of the ischemic stroke. Fasting serum cholesterol was measured in all patients after an overnight fast of 12 hours by drawing blood through 5cc BD syringe by me. Then all the patients were assessed by using Barthel Index score [BI]. Higher total cholesterol and high BI score were labeled after assessing the laboratory and clinical findings. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 17.0. Spearman Rank correlation coefficient was calculated to BI score in patients with ischemic stroke. P-value<0.05 was considered as significant

Results: The mean age of the patients was noted as 61.76 +/- 11.55 years. In this study 55.50% were males and 44.50% patients were females. The mean total cholesterol value of patients was noted as 251.59 +/- 71.15 mg/dl. Out of 200 patients, 112 [56%] patients had high cholesterol [>200mg/dl] whereas 88 [44%] patient had low cholesterol of [<200mg/dl]. In this study the results showed that the mean value of total Barthel index score was 57.50 +/- 19.52. The study results described that 103 [51.50%] patients had high Barthel index score [>53] whereas 97 [48.50%] patients had low Barthel index score [<53]. Spearman correlation coefficient was calculated between high TC and high BI score as r= 0.631. This value was statistically significant i.e. p-value=0.000

Conclusion: With the help of this study, we found a significant positive relationship between high TC and high BI score in patients presented with ischemic stroke. Now we can better prognosticate the functional outcome of ischemic stroke in our patients

Recurrent meningitis - a case report

Recurrent meningitis is an uncommon but serious condition. A 13 year old girl presented with recurrent meningitis, was admitted and investigated for the cause of meningitis. She had frontal bone fracture due to trauma 5 years back. We present a pediatric patient with recurrent meningitis without CSF rhinorrea or otorrhea