No abstract

BACKGROUND CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) is mainly associated with malignant conditions, but there is a modest increase in non-malignant conditions such as aging, and atherosclerosis and this study is to find correlation of CEA levels in stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS A case control study conducted from March 2016 to August 2016 in Stanley Medical College, General Medicine Department. RESULTS The mean CEA levels were significantly elevated in infarct group compared to control group by a mean difference of 5.09 ng/mL (73% higher), which is significant with p value of 0.0001, likewise the mean CEA levels were significantly elevated in haemorrhage group compared to control group by a mean difference of 3.26 ng/mL (64% higher). The CEA levels were significantly elevated in infarct group compared to haemorrhage group by a mean difference of 1.83 ng/mL (26% higher). This difference is significant with a p-value of 0.0071. CONCLUSION The CEA levels are higher among stroke patients than normal population. The elevation is more among ischaemic stroke patients than haemorrhagic stroke patients. Infarct stroke patients had 3.73 times carcinoembryonic antigen levels compared to healthy subjects, haemorrhage stroke patients had 2.75 times carcinoembryonic antigen levels compared to healthy subjects and infarct stroke patients had 1.36 times carcinoembryonic antigen levels compared to haemorrhage stroke patients.