Diagnostic Value of the Fibrinogen-to-Albumin Ratio in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Objective: Previous research suggests that high levels of fibrinogen and low levels of albumin are associated with the occurrence of ischemic stroke and the severity of the disease. As a recently described rational parameter, the fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) has been studied in several conditions associated with inflammation and pro-coagulation, such as retinal venous occlusion, coronary artery disease, and cancers. This study aims to research the usefulness of FAR when diagnosing ischemic stroke and the prediction of its severity and prognosis.
Materials and Methods: The study involved 52 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 39 control cases between the ages of 18 and 80. The demographics, medical history, primary diagnosis, examination findings, imaging findings, and laboratory tests of all patients were derived from our hospital records. Stroke severity was classified into three groups: mild, moderate, and severe. The FAR values were compared between the stroke and control groups and between the stroke severity groups. For statistical analysis, SPSS 23.0 (IBM) was used, and P < 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: Fibrinogen levels and FAR values were significantly higher and albumin levels lower in the patients with stroke than in the control group (P < 0.001). The FAR cut-off value was 6.65 for the diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke; it was more sensitive and specific than albumin and fibrinogen. There were no significant differences between the severity stages of stroke, the etiologic subgroup of stroke, length of hospitalization, and short-term prognostic effect on patients with stroke in terms of FAR, fibrinogen, and albumin (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: This study suggests that FAR would be an innovative, sensitive, and specific diagnostic marker for patients with acute ischemic stroke. However, it would be insufficient to predict stroke severity, etiology, and short-term prognosis.