Correlation between CH₂DS₂-VASc Score and Serum Leptin Levels in Cardioembolic Stroke Patients: The Impact of...

To determine adipokines levels in patients with different etiologic subtypes of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) status.

Serum adiponectin, leptin, and resistin levels were determined by ELISA in 99 AIS patients and 59 stroke-free control group subjects. Stroke patients were grouped based on MetS, modified TOAST classification, and CHA₂DS₂-VASc scale in case of cardioembolic stroke following atrial fibrillation.

No differences were found in all adipokine serum levels between AIS patients and appropriately matched control group. MetS-AIS patients had significantly higher leptin levels (22.71 ± 19.01 ng/ml versus 8.95 ± 9.22 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and lower adiponectin levels (10.71 ± 8.59 ng/ml versus 14.93 ± 10.95 ng/ml, p < 0.05) than non-MetS-AIS patients. In patients with cardioembolic stroke, leptin levels were significantly higher than in remaining stroke cases (19.57 ± 20.53 ng/ml versus 13.17 ± 12.36 ng/ml, p < 0.05) and CHA₂DS₂-VASc score positively correlated with leptin levels only (p < 0.001). Analysis of individual components of CHA₂DS₂-VASc score showed that hypertension, female gender, and diabetes had greatest impact on elevated serum leptin level.

This pilot study revealed that leptin could be a potential biomarker for risk stratification of cardioembolic stroke in MetS patients and that heterogeneity of stroke subtypes should be considered for more refined and precise clinical stroke studies.