Association between Serum Interleukin-6 Levels and Long-term Outcomes after Ischemic Stroke: A Prospective Cohort...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Immunology
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a key cytokine implicated in atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke pathogenesis.
• Understanding the prognostic value of IL-6 in stroke patients is crucial for predicting long-term recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between serum IL-6 levels at ischemic stroke onset and long-term outcomes.
• To determine if IL-6 predicts major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and poor functional outcomes one year post-stroke.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study of 655 ischemic stroke patients followed for one year.
• Patients stratified into three groups based on baseline serum IL-6 tertiles.
• Outcomes assessed included a composite of MACE and poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ≥ 3).

Main Results:

• Higher serum IL-6 levels correlated with increased comorbidities like chronic kidney disease and atrial fibrillation.
• A significant trend of increased one-year MACE risk was observed with higher IL-6 tertiles.
• Serum IL-6 levels were strongly and independently associated with poor functional outcomes at one year post-stroke.

Conclusions:

• Elevated serum IL-6 levels at ischemic stroke onset serve as an independent predictor of poor functional prognosis.
• IL-6 may represent a valuable biomarker for assessing stroke recovery potential.