Elevated Blood Urea Nitrogen-to-Creatinine Ratio Predicts Short-Term Mortality in Intensive Care Unit Patients With Ischemic Stroke: Evidence from a Multicenter Cohort

This study investigates the relationship between the blood urea nitrogen-to-creatinine ratio (BUCR) and the 28-day in-hospital mortality rate among ICU patients with ischemic stroke (IS). Using data from the eICU Collaborative Research Database collected between 2014 and 2015, 2,702 ICU patients with ischemic stroke were included in the analysis. The results revealed that, compared to the Q1 group, the Q3 group had a significantly higher association with the 28-day in-hospital mortality rate (HR=1.616; 95% CI: 1.173, 2.226). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, BUCR demonstrated a linear relationship with mortality risk, with each unit increase in BUCR corresponding to a 1.4% increase in the risk of death (HR=1.014; 95% CI: 1.002, 1.027; P=0.021). Sensitivity analysis further confirmed the robustness of this association. In conclusion, elevated BUCR is an independent predictor of 28-day in-hospital mortality in ICU patients with ischemic stroke, indicating that BUCR may serve as a simple and effective biomarker for identifying high-risk patients.