Values of serum LDL and PCT levels in evaluating the condition and prognosis of acute cerebral infarction

Values of low density lipoprotein (LDL) and procalcitonin (PCT) levels in evaluating the condition and prognosis of patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) were investigated. According to the volume of cerebral infarction, 150 patients with ACI (observation group) were divided into the mild infarction group (n=50), moderate infarction group (n=50), and severe infarction group (n=50). Besides, another 50 healthy subjects were enrolled during the same period as the control group. The levels of serum LDL and PCT on admission and at the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 10th day after treatment were detected, which were compared with those in the control group. Ten days after treatment, patients were divided into two groups, the effective group and non-effective group, based on the clinical efficacy. The differences in LDL and PCT levels were compared between the two groups. After 1 month, the clinical efficacy was evaluated again, and the correlations of LDL and PCT levels with prognosis were analyzed. The levels of serum LDL and PCT in the observation group 1 day after admission were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), which reached the peak at the 3rd day and continuously declined after the 7th day. The LDL and PCT levels had statistically significant differences between the effective group and non-effective group (P<0.05). Pearson's correlation analysis showed that the serum LDL and PCT levels in acute phase were negatively correlated with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score after 1 month of treatment (P<0.05). The dynamic monitoring of serum LDL and PCT levels in ACI patients can help evaluate the condition and prognosis of patients.