Correlation of Hemoglobin, Albumin, Lymphocyte, and Platelets (HALP) Score With Outcome of Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) stands as a primary cause of both mortality and enduring disability. Given its significant impact on public health, efforts are ongoing to improve prognostic instruments and treatment approaches for this illness. In recent years, attention has been drawn towards the exploration of novel indicators of hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelets (HALP) that measure systemic inflammation and nutritional status. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the HALP score and the outcome of an acute ischemic stroke.

METHODOLOGY

This prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital, with approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee. A total of 100 AIS patients were enrolled in the study, and their demographic details were collected. Within 24 hours of stroke onset, laboratory tests were performed, including measurements of albumin, hemoglobin, lymphocytes, and platelet count. The HALP scores of these patients were recorded. The severity of AIS was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) upon admission.

RESULTS

This study comprised 100 patients, with 66% and 44% being male and female, respectively, with a standard deviation of age 63. Following 28 days of in-hospital care and a 90-day outpatient follow-up, 16 patients were categorized as the non-survival group. The results showed a significant difference in hemoglobin values in the admitted groups (p = 0.04). Lymphocyte counts were higher in survivors compared to non-survivors with non-significant (p = 0.105). Furthermore, the HALP score of survivors is (a median of 34.0) and for non-survivors is (a median of 24.0), which showed a significant difference with a p-value of 0.022 and is statistically significant.  Conclusion: Lower HALP score is associated with increased mortality in stroke patients. The HALP score emerges as a potentially valuable predictor of mortality in critically ill patients. This underscores the importance of considering the HALP score in prognostic assessments and treatment decisions for individuals affected by stroke.