Association of circulating miR-210 with post-stroke seizures and clinical outcome: A preliminary study

Post-stroke seizure (PSS) is characterized by sudden, uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain following a stroke. Currently, reliable biomarkers for PSS are lacking. This study aimed to investigate serum levels of microRNA-210 (miR-210) as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers for PSS.

Serum samples (2 mL) were collected from 40 patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke (IS and HS) upon admission, along with 20 healthy controls. Serum miR-210 levels were measured using real-time PCR. Diagnostic and prognostic accuracy was assessed for miR-210 and the PoSERS model. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, stroke type, and stroke location, were recorded. The laboratory parameters, including white blood cells (WBCs), C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sediment rate (ESR), were also assessed.

Significant differences were observed in stroke types (IS vs. HS) and stroke locations (cortical vs. subcortical) between patients with and without PSS (P < 0.05). Additionally, triglyceride (TG), HbA1C, and cholesterol levels differed significantly between these groups (P < 0.05). Serum miR-210 levels were significantly lower in stroke patients compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). After one year of follow-up, miR-210 levels significantly differed between patients with and without PSS, as well as between survivors and non-survivors (P < 0.05). A negative correlation was found between circulating miR-210 and total cholesterol levels in stroke patients (r = -0.338, P < 0.05). However, miR-210 showed limited predictive value for PSS (AUC = 0.48), whereas the PoSERS model demonstrated good predictive performance (AUC = 0.77).

Although circulating miR-210 was significantly associated with PSS and disease outcome, it alone does not serve as a reliable biomarker for early diagnosis of PSS. Further studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to validate these findings.