Circulating IncRNAs and Their Association With Ischemic Stroke Severity and Prognosis: A Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Biomarkers
• Neurology
• Genomics

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of global morbidity, necessitating improved prognostication for patient care.
• Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as potential biomarkers for various diseases.
• Assessing lncRNAs for stroke prognosis could enhance patient management and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the utility of circulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as biomarkers for predicting stroke severity and prognosis.
• To synthesize evidence from existing studies on the correlation between lncRNA levels and stroke outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across major databases (Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus) up to April 2024.
• Included studies focused on circulating lncRNA levels and stroke severity/prognosis in English peer-reviewed papers.
• Study quality and reporting completeness were assessed using STROBE, QUIPS, and NOS checklists.

Main Results:

• 30 studies involving 3719 patients were included, focusing on ischemic stroke and TIA (no data for hemorrhagic stroke).
• Pooled correlation coefficients indicated a moderate association between lncRNAs and stroke severity scales (NIHSS: 0.52, mRS: 0.49).
• LncRNAs demonstrated a pooled odds ratio of 1.55 for predicting mortality, with most studies showing low bias and high reporting completeness.

Conclusions:

• Circulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exhibit modest to moderate accuracy in predicting stroke severity and prognosis.
• The findings suggest potential utility for lncRNAs in stroke prognostication.
• Further research is recommended to validate and solidify the role of lncRNAs in clinical stroke management.