Effect of increased glucose levels on short-term outcome in hypertensive spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

ObjectiveSpontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) can be a devastating event. Increased glucose levels in the plasma may be related to poor outcomes; however, the precise association remains unclear.MethodsWe retrospectively assessed 116 patients with hypertensive ICH. Glucose level in the plasma was assessed at days 0, 1, and 3. Outcome variables were mortality within 7 and 30 days and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at day 14 after ICH onset.ResultsTwenty deaths had occurred by day 7, and the 30-day mortality rate was 31.9%. Hyperglycemia at day 0 was significantly more common in patients who died within 7 days or 30 days. Hyperglycemia at day 1 was more common in patients with an NIHSS score >15 on admission and at day 14. No differences in glucose levels were found between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Among non-diabetic patients, higher glucose levels were related to poorer outcomes (death or an NIHSS score >15). In multivariate analysis, glucose levels >140 mg/dL at day 1 were related to the 30-day mortality (hazard ratio = 2.65; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15–6.12, p = 0.02), and glucose levels >160 mg/dL at day 1 were associated with an NIHSS score >15 at day 14 (odds ratio = 3.08; 95% CI = 0.9–10.5, p = 0.07). White blood cell counts were directly associated with poorer outcomes and significantly correlated to glucose levels.ConclusionInitially increased glucose levels and increased levels within 24 h of ICH onset were related to poorer outcomes. Altered glucose metabolism may be due to inflammatory cell activation. Further studies are needed to clarify the association between immune activation and glucose metabolism after ICH onset.