Blood microRNAs as potential diagnostic markers for hemorrhagic stroke

Proper medical treatment of a stroke victim relies on accurate and rapid differentiation between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, which in current practice is performed by computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. A panel of microRNAs could be an extremely useful clinical tool for distinguishing between hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke. This review has shown that blood miRNA profile can distinguish hemorrhagic from ischemic stroke in patients and in experimental animal models. It also seems likely they can differentiate between intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage stroke. The miRNA profile in cerebrospinal fluid could be a useful diagnostic tool for subarachnoid hemorrhagic stroke. Decreased or increased miRNA levels may be needed either as prevention or treatment of stroke. Administration in vivo of miR-130a inhibitor or miRNA mimic (miR-367, miR-223) in an intracerebral hemorrhage animal model improved neurological outcomes.