Serum inflammatory cytokines combined with NIHSS to evaluate the condition of patients with acute ischemic stroke

• Main Authors: Heng YU, Chong-rong LONG, Liang WANG
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tianjin Huanhu Hospital 2013-09-01
• Series: Chinese Journal of Contemporary Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Subjects: Brain ischemia; Interleukin-6; Tumor necrosis factor-alpha; C-reactive protein
• Online Access: http://www.cjcnn.org/index.php/cjcnn/article/view/807

<strong>Objective</strong> To explore the changes of serum inflammatory cytokines and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score in acute ischemic stroke patients and their clinical significances on patients' condition assessment. <strong>Methods</strong> The serum levels of three cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and high⁃sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), were measured and compared between 90 acute ischemic stroke patients (ischemic stroke group) and 50 healthy people (normal control group). The above-mentioned three cytokines and NIHSS scores were compared between before and after treatment in ischemic stroke group. <strong>Results</strong> Patients in ischemic stroke group were divided into three subgroups according to different infarct sizes: large (&gt; 10 cm3), medium (5-10 cm3) and small (&lt; 5 cm3). The serum levels of three cytokines were significantly higher in three subgroups than those in the normal control group before treatment (P &lt; 0.01). Compared with before treatment, both the serum levels of three cytokines and the NIHSS scores in ishemic stroke patients reduced significantly after treatment (P &lt; 0.01, for all). <strong>Conclusion</strong> Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and NIHSS scores in patients with acute ischemic stroke can be used for condition assessment and efficacy monitoring. <br />