Association between cholesterol levels and infections after ischemic stroke

This single center prospective cohort study was undertaken to determine if cholesterol levels are correlated with the risk of infectious complications (IC) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Total (TOTc), Low Density Lipoprotein and High Density Lipoprotein cholesterol levels have been measured within 24 hours from admission. The occurrence of any IC (pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, other infection) during hospitalization was the outcome of interest. There were a total of 603 patients (median age 78, 49.3% males), of whom 134 (22.2%) developed an IC. Patients with IC had lower TOTc vs patients without IC. In patients with ischemic stroke, higher cholesterol levels are independently linked to lower risk of IC. Further studies are needed to validate the results and to describe the underlying biological mechanisms of this association.