AUTHOR=Hu Zicheng , Li Haihua , Zhu Yongping , Zhang Jun , Yang Xiao , Huang Rongzhong , Li Yongyong , Ran Haitao , Shang Tingting 

TITLE=Plasma Calprotectin Is Predictive for Short-Term Functional Outcomes of Acute Ischemic Stroke

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.811062

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.811062

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Background Blood-based prognostic biomarkers of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) are limiting. Calprotectin is suggested to be involved in directing post-stroke inflammatory conditions. However, the pathological alteration of circulating calprotectin in AIS is yet to be thoroughly elucidated. This study aims to investigate the levels and clinical relevance of calprotectin in AIS.
Methods This study recruited 271 AIS patients within 24 hours since symptom onset and 145 non-stroke controls (HC) from Feb 1, 2018, and Dec 31, 2020. Patients were followed up for 2 weeks for observation of functional outcomes, as determined by NIHSS and mRS. Plasma calprotectin concentrations were determined by Elisa.
Results Plasma calprotectin concentrations were significantly higher in AIS patients in comparison with controls [Patients vs. Control: Median (IQR) 54.20 (39.01 to 99.04) vs. 50.04 (35.42 to 61.22), p<0.001]. Besides, patients with poor prognosis, as defined by mRS ≥ 3, had significantly higher calprotectin levels than patients with good prognosis [Poor prognosis patients vs. Good prognosis patients: Median (IQR) 61.99 (47.52 to 108.00) vs. 43.36 (33.39 to 60.20), p<0.001]. Plasma calprotectin levels were positively associated with the disease severity of AIS, as reflected by infarction volume and NIHSS score at baseline. Furthermore, baseline calprotectin was found to be independently associated with poor prognosis (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.03) and disease progression (OR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.04) of AIS during a 2-week follow-up, with adjustment of possible confounding factors.
Conclusions Plasma calprotectin is associated with short-term functional outcomes of AIS.