Serum Calcium and Phosphate Levels and Short- and Long-Term Outcomes in Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage Patients

Abstract

Background: We investigated whether admission serum calcium and phosphate levels are associated with short- and long-term outcomes in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage.

Methods: A total of 365 patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage were enrolled in this study. Participants were classified into 4 subgroups according to serum calcium or phosphate quartiles. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle risk factors, medical history, and other clinical characteristics were recorded for all the participants. Excellent outcome was defined as discharge or 3-month modified Rankin scale scores of 0-1.

Results: Univariate analysis comparing the highest and lowest quartiles indicated that an elevated calcium level was associated with 2.26- and 2.28-fold increases in the odds for discharge and 3-month excellent outcome, respectively. After adjustment for age, sex, and other potential risk factors, patients in the highest quartile still had significantly increased odds of discharge and 3-month excellent outcome; the corresponding odds ratios (ORs) were 3.43 (95% confidence interval [[CI], 1.03-11.44) and 5.36 (95% CI, 1.69-16.98). When calcium was divided into two groups, the ORs of higher calcium were 2.9 (95% CI, 1.1-7.62) and 2.8 (95% CI, 1.15-6.82) for discharge and 3-month excellent outcome, respectively. However, no significant association was observed between serum phosphate and excellent outcome.

Conclusions: Elevated admission serum calcium level but not phosphate level is positively associated with excellent outcome at discharge or 3 months in acute intracerebral hemorrhage patients.

Keywords: Intracerebral hemorrhage; prognosis; serum calcium; serum phosphate.