THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SERUM LIPOPROTEIN-ASSOCIATED PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 LEVELS AND CLINICAL STROKE SEVERITY, INFARCT VOLUME IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE

Abstract

Background and Purpose: The studies showed that elevated inflammation indicators were an associated with risk for ischemic stroke and useful in prediction of ischemic tissue volume. We studied the association between serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) levels and clinical stroke severity, infarct volume in acute ischemic stroke. Methods: The cross – sectional study, in 119 patients who presented to Department of Cardiology and Intensive Care Unit – Hue Central Hospital; 115 controls. Stroke patients were evaluated with Glagow Coma Scale and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and their serum Lp-PLA2 and hs-CRP level, plasma lipid profile, blood glucose were assessed. Results: The mean age of patients was 66.03 years, in controls was 63.49 years (p > 0.05). Patients who had stroke had higher median serum Lp-PLA2 level than controls (22.03 IU/ml vs 10.23 IU/ml; p < 0,05). The median Lp-PLA2 level were higher in patients who had greater stroke severity (lower Glagow Coma Scale score, higher NIHSS score) and were higher in patients who had larger volume strokes. There were strong correlation between Lp-PLA2 levels and Glasgow Coma Scale (r = -0.53; p < 0.05); Lp-PLA2 levels and NIHSS (r =0.51; p < 0.05); Lp-PLA2 levels and infarct tissue volume (r = 0.58; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Higher Lp-PLA2 levels was significantly associated with more severe neurological impairment and larger infarct size in patients who had acute ischemic stroke. This biomarker may be useful for rapid diagnosis and prediction of ischemic tissue volume in the early stage of ischemic stroke. Key words: Stroke, atherosclerosis, inflammation, biomarker