Interleukin-1beta is increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with small infarcts

Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are involved in inflammatory responses during large vessel occlusion in animal models. The aim of this study was to investigate the intrathecal levels of cytokines in patients with acute small infarcts.

Forty patients with acute minor stroke and 32 non-stroke patients (including 29 age- and gender-matched subjects) who received operations with spinal anesthesia were studied prospectively and underwent measurements of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IL-1beta and IL-6 levels.

After an age- and gender-matched analysis of 58 patients (29 pairs), the mean intrathecal levels of IL-1beta were 0.80 pg/ml in patients with small infarcts and 0.59 pg/ml in non-stroke patients (P < 0.0001). In addition, the mean CSF levels of IL-6 were 21.54 pg/ml and 7.52 pg/ml in the stroke and control groups, respectively (P = 0.38). These results were consistent with the data without matching. The CSF levels of IL-1beta in the 40 stroke patients were significantly higher than in the 32 non-stroke controls (P < 0.0001).

The proinflammatory cytokine IL-1beta, but not IL-6, remained elevated in the CSF of patients in the acute stage of small infarcts.