Elevated inflammatory markers predict mortality in long-term ischemic stroke-survivors: a population-based...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Immunology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• High inflammatory markers post-stroke correlate with poor prognosis.
• The predictive value of persisting inflammatory markers for long-term mortality in stroke survivors remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if persistent inflammatory markers (measured >1 year post-stroke) predict long-term all-cause mortality in stroke survivors.
• To compare mortality prediction by inflammatory markers between stroke survivors and stroke-free individuals.

Main Methods:

• A nested case-control study within the Tromsø Study (Norway) analyzed 187 stroke survivors and 243 stroke-free subjects.
• Baseline inflammatory markers (WBC, fibrinogen, IL-6, hs-CRP) were measured a median of 7 years post-stroke.
• Cox proportional hazard regression models assessed mortality prediction from 1997 to 2013.

Main Results:

• Over 16 years, 62.5% of stroke survivors and 44.0% of stroke-free subjects died.
• In stroke survivors, fibrinogen and IL-6 independently predicted mortality (adjusted HRs 1.26 and 2.02).
• In stroke-free subjects, hs-CRP predicted mortality (adjusted HR 1.95).

Conclusions:

• Fibrinogen and IL-6 are independent predictors of mortality in long-term stroke survivors.
• Elevated hs-CRP predicts mortality in stroke-free individuals.
• Mortality risk prediction differs significantly between stroke survivors and stroke-free populations.