The Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Limited number of studies have been per-

formed in order to demostrate the relationship of proinflammatory

cytokines and their roles in etiopathogenesis and prognosis of the acute

ischemic stroke. In this study, the relationship between serum interleukin-6

(IL-6) and tumor necrosis faktor-α (TNF-α) levels (which are proinflam-

matory cytokines induced by acute ischemic stroke) on acute neurolo-

gic dysfunction and their roles in ischemic subtypes are evaluated.

METHODS: 49 patients (27 male, 22 female) with a mean

age of 69.7±10.1 were included. They were diagnosed as acute

ischemic stroke by history, neurologic examination and computerized

brain tomography (CT). Control grup consisted from 30 individuals (17

male, 13 female) with a mean age of 67.3±7.9. Blood samples for IL-6

and TNF-α levels were taken within the first 24 hours of the acute

ischemic stroke. The relationship between serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels

and risk factors in the development of stroke, CRP levels in peripheral

blood and prognosis in the early stage was evaluated.

RESULTS: Serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels didn’t differ significantly in

patients when compared to controls. According to NIHSS patients were

scored between 0-36. Levels of serum IL-6 and CRP in patients with high score were higher when compared to patients with low score. No sta-

tistically difference in serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in between

aterotrombotics and cardioembolic groups were present.

CONCLUSION: According to our results we can say that there is a correla-

tion in between the levels of inflammatory cytokines and and neurolo-

gic dysfunction in the early stages of the acute ischemic stroke. Patients

having high cytokine levels had high stroke scale scores. Long term fol-

low up studies with more patients participation are needed to confirm

and settle this issue.