IL-6: an early marker for outcome in acute ischemic stroke

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Abstract
Inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of stroke. We correlated interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, C-reactive protein (CRP) and T-lymphocyte subtype levels in acute ischemic stroke patients with stroke volume and clinical outcome. Blood samples were obtained from 11 patients at defined intervals during 1 year. Nine healthy age-matched subjects served as controls. IL-6, IL-10 and CRP were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and T lymphocytes by flow cytometry. Volume measurement was carried out by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and clinical outcome was scored by the European stroke scale (ESS) and Barthel index (BI). IL-6 levels were increased in the acute phase of stroke compared with healthy controls (P = 0.002) and correlated with larger stroke volume (P = 0.012) and less favorable prognosis after 1 year, measured by ESS (P = 0.014) and BI (P = 0.006). IL-10, CRP and T-lymphocyte subtypes in the acute phase were not correlated with stroke volume or clinical outcome. IL-6 seems to be a robust early marker for outcome in acute ischemic stroke.