Abstract
Objective: To determine the frequency of microalbuminuria in patients with ischemic stroke.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Study Duration: Six months, from 1st April 2009 to 30th September 2009.
Setting: Medical floor, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad.
Subjects and Methods:
195 patients of ischemic stroke, with or without diabetes mellitus and hypertension were tested for early morning urine albumin to creatinine ratio. A urinary albumin to creatinine ratio of 30 to 300 μg/mg was considered as microalbuminuria.
Results: Out of a total of 195 patients, microalbuminuria was present in 94(48.2%) and absent in 101(51.8%) patients. Out of 68 diabetic patients, microalbuminuria was present in 37(54.4%) patients while out of 127 non-diabetics 57(44.9%) had microalbuminuria. Out of 113 hypertensive patients, microalbuminuria was present in 56(49.6%) while out of 82 non-hypertensives 38(46.3%) had microalbuminuria. Among 28 patients having both diabetes mellitus and hypertension, 16(57.1%) were having microalbuminuria. Out of 42 patients without both diabetes and hypertension, 17(40.5%) had microalbuminuria.
Conclusion: Given the high frequency of microalbuminuria in patients with ischemic stroke, microalbuminuria is a useful modifiable factor in addition to conventional risk factors in identifying those at increased risk of ischemic stroke.

Key words: Albuminuria, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, ischemic stroke.