Increased C-reactive protein in acute ischemic stroke patients is age dependent

• Published in: Revista cubana de investigaciones biomédicas Vol. 39; no. 3
• Main Authors: Marisol Peña Sanchez, Sergio González García, Alina González-Quevedo Monteagudo, Giosmany Bringas Sánchez, James García Benavides, Marianela Arteche Prior, Carlos Maya Entenza, Isabel Fernández Almirall, Anay Cordero Eiriz, María Caridad Menéndez Sainz, Mélany Betancourt Loza, Rebeca Fernández Carriera, Mirelys Peña Nolasco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Centro Nacional de Información de Ciencias Médicas. Editorial de Ciencias Médicas (ECIMED) 01-07-2020
• Subjects: age; c-reactive protein; ischemic attack; neurological deficit; stroke
• ISSN: 0864-0300; 1561-3011

Introduction: Several studies investigating blood biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) in the prognosis and mortality of stroke have not been conclusive. This may be related to the fact that age has not been taken into account for these analyses. Objective: In the present study, we evaluated the possible relationship of blood markers with the age and clinical characteristics of ischemic stroke patients. Methods: Two groups of acute ischemic stroke patients (≤ 55 years and > 55 years of age) who were paired with a control group were included. CRP, alpha 1 antitrypsin (AAT), complements C3 and C4, microalbuminura, ceruloplasmin, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, glutamic-piruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), gamma glutamiltranspeptidase (GGT), creatinine, and uric acid were determined. Other clinical information, including NIH stroke scale was collected. Results: AAT, ceruloplasmin, microalbuminuria, GPT, GOT and GGT were significantly increased with respect to control subjects in both age groups. Nevertheless, CRP was increased only in patients older than 55 years. CRP and age were directly correlated in stroke patients, but not in the control group joint analysis of age and NIHSS revealed a tendency towards even higher CRP values in older patients with more severe neurological impairment. Levels of CRP increased significantly with age according to NIH score. Conclusions: Age should be considered when evaluating the usefulness of CRP and other blood biomarkers as clinical tools for predicting long or short-term neurological outcome or stroke recurrence events in ischemic stroke patients.