Inflammatory response after acute ischemic stroke

Background and purpose: This study aimed to characterize the time course of inflammatory parameters after acute ischemic stroke. Methods: We serially determined high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and leukocyte counts at 10 time points between days I and 90 after ischemic stroke and in control subjects. Results: CRP did not significantly change, whereas fibrinogen increased after stroke. At all time points, CRP and fibrinogen were higher than in healthy control subjects, but not risk factor control subjects. The leukocyte count declined after stroke and was significantly elevated as compared to both control groups only on day 1 but not later. NIHSS levels were positively correlated with CRP and fibrinogen at all time points. Larger infarcts were associated with a higher CRP and leukocyte counts on day 90. Treatment with aspirin was associated with lower values for all three inflammatory parameters in the subacute phase after ischemia. Conclusions: The course after stroke was different between the parameters of inflammation. Only the leukocytes followed the paradigm of an acute phase response. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.