Higher serum triglyceride level in patients with acute ischemic stroke is associated with lower infarct volume on CT brain scans.

We investigated the relationship between serum triglyceride level and acute ischemic stroke severity using infarct volume on CT brain scans as a marker. A total of 121 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients (53 males and 68 females, age 47-93 years) with anterior circulation (75%), posterior circulation (9%) or lacunar infarcts (16%) were examined. All patients were admitted within 24 h of the symptom onset, and CT scans were taken over the subsequent 24-72 h. With adjustment for the infarct type, age, sex, timing of CT imaging (24-36, >36-48 or >48-72 h since admission), atrial fibrillation, hypertension, fasting cholesterol and glucose levels, a higher (> or =1.70 mmol/l) fasting serum triglyceride level (within 24 h after admission) was associated with a lower infarct volume (p = 0.014). In line with a recent report on milder clinical symptoms in acute ischemic stroke patients with higher triglycerides, the results suggest an independent association between serum triglyceride level and stroke severity.