Serum albumin level as a predictor of ischemic stroke outcome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Animal studies showed that human albumin therapy is strongly neuroprotective in focal ischemia. The aim of our study was to determine if relatively high serum albumin level is associated with decreased risk of poor outcome in ischemic stroke patients. METHODS Seven hundred fifty-nine consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke were included. Functional outcome was measured 3 months after stroke using modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Poor outcome was defined as mRS >3 or death. Serum albumin level was measured within 36 hours after stroke onset. RESULTS Patients with poor outcome had significantly lower serum albumin level than patients with nonpoor outcome (34.1+/-7.4 versus 36.8+/-6.7 g/L). On logistic regression analysis, serum albumin level remained independent predictor of poor outcome (odds ratio [OR]: 0.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26 to 0.70). CONCLUSIONS Relatively high serum albumin level in acute stroke patients decreases the risk of poor outcome.