A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY ON CLINICAL PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF GAMMA- GLUTAMYL TRANSFERASE IN PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH ACUTE STROKE IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: There are over 12.2 million new strokes each year worldwide. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the sixth leading cause of disability in India. Hypertension and diabetes are significant risk factors, with hypertension present in 75% of stroke cases in some regions.Initial diagnosis is often based on a rapid clinical assessment of symptoms and signs but Imaging tests like CT and MRI scans are crucial for confirming the diagnosis, determining the type of stroke, and guiding treatment decisions.⁴Atherogenesis is the development of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The association between GGT levels and atherosclerosis supports the potential use of GGT as a predictive biomarker for atherosclerotic events like stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Patients who are fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be included in the study. History taking and physical examination will be done in all the patients according to the prefixed proforma. All the patients will be evaluated for the Radiological investigations like CT/ MRI to confirm Acute Stroke, Gamma glutamyl transferase levels, Complete Blood Picture, Random blood glucose levels, Liver function test , Renal function tests , Serum electrolytes and Electrocardiogram. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS) is used to assess stroke severity and Modified Rankin Scale(MRS) is used to assess the functional neurological deficit.

RESULTS: shows that the average age of the patients is 60 years, with a standard deviation of 11 years, suggesting a moderate variation in age among the patients. The gender distribution shows that 58.3% of the patients are male and 41.7% are female. higher GGT levels are significantly associated with more severe disability outcomes on the MRS, particularly noted in the most severe categories: Severe disability (MRS 5) and Death (MRS 6) are highly prevalent with high GGT levels (86.7% and 94.4%, respectively).  majority of the Ishaemic stroke patients had higher GGT levels than hemorrhagic stroke patients.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the current study found that elevated GGT levels are prevalent among older stroke patients and males, with a significant association between high GGT levels and more SSsevere strokes. Elevated GGT levels were also more common in ischemic and severe hemorrhagic stroke cases. Additionally, higher GGT levels correlated with greater disability and mortality highlighting GGT as a potential biomarker for predicting stroke severity and outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of GGT in assessing stroke risk and tailoring patient management strategies.