Changes of serum C-reactive protein and neuron-specific enolase levels in patients with acute cerebral infarction and relative study

Abstract

Objective To investigate the changes of serum C-reactive protein(CRP)and neu-ron-specific enolase(NSE)levels in patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI)and their relations with in farct size,severity of neurological impairment.Methods The levels of serum CRP,NSE were measured in 60 patients(ACI group)within 72 hours after infarction and 40 normal controls(control group).The severity of neurological impairment of patients with ACl was assessed by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)at admission.Results The mean levels of serum CRP and NSE in ACI group were higher than those in control group, (6.95±2.34)mg/L vs(2.21±1.05)mg/L,P＜0.01, (22.39±4.72)μg/L vs(7.16±2.63)μg/L,P＜0.01,respectively.Higher levels of CRP and NSE were obviously associated with larger infarct size and more severe neurological impairment.The changes of CRP and NSE levels correlated with scores of NIHSS(r=0.51,r=0.44,all P＜0.01)significantly.CRP levels were positively correlated with those of NSE(r=0.57,P＜0.01).Conclusion The levels of serum CRP and NSE can be used as an important biological marker to estimate the size of infarct and the severity of neurological impairment in ACI. Key words: C-reactive protein; Phosphopyruvate hydratase; Brain infarction; Neurological impairment