Abstract
IntroductionThe differential diagnosis of transient ischemic attack (TIA) versus mild acute ischemic stroke (AIS) during the initial presentation to the emergency department is often difficult, as the diagnosis of both TIA and AIS relies on the presence of focal neurologic signs. As such, roughly 50% of patients with transient or mild neurologic deficits have an uncertain diagnosis prior to neuroimaging. Biomarkers, particularly leukocyte biomarkers, may be used by clinicians to diagnose mild AIS prior to neuroimaging, and this study is the first to describe the use of leukocyte biomarkers for the differentiation of mild AIS, TIA, and stroke mimic.MethodsWe performed a retrospective chart review of patients discharged from a local hospital with a discharge diagnosis of either TIA or AIS. Past medical history and complete blood cell count with differential upon admission were collected for all subjects. Statistical analyses were performed to compare immune cell parameters between the two groups. For all comparisons, logistic regression analysis was used to assess the effect of confounding variables, such as age, gender, and medical history for each study variable.ResultsOf all the immune parameters assessed in this study, the neutrophil percentage was the only significant biomarker that significantly differed between study groups. After adjustment for confounding variables using stepwise logistic regression, mild AIS patients were 5.3 times more likely than TIA cases to have a neutrophil percentage above the normal range.ConclusionOur results suggest that clinicians may utilize neutrophil percentage as an additional piece of information that may aid in their diagnosis of mild AIS versus TIA.
Highlights
The differential diagnosis of transient ischemic attack (TIA) versus mild acute ischemic stroke (AIS) during the initial presentation to the emergency department is often difficult, as the diagnosis of both TIA and AIS relies on the presence of focal neurologic signs
Our results suggest that clinicians may utilize neutrophil percentage as an additional piece of information that may aid in their diagnosis of mild AIS versus TIA
It may assist in the identification of mild AIS patients who may benefit from treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) versus those who likely will not
Summary
The differential diagnosis of transient ischemic attack (TIA) versus mild acute ischemic stroke (AIS) during the initial presentation to the emergency department is often difficult, as the diagnosis of both TIA and AIS relies on the presence of focal neurologic signs. Roughly 50% of patients with transient or mild neurologic deficits have an uncertain diagnosis prior to neuroimaging. Biomarkers, leukocyte biomarkers, may be used by clinicians to diagnose mild AIS prior to neuroimaging, and this study is the first to describe the use of leukocyte biomarkers for the differentiation of mild AIS, TIA, and stroke mimic
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.