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Ischemic stroke functional outcomes are independently associated with C-reactive protein concentrations and cognitive outcomes with triiodothyronine concentrations: a pilot study

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Abstract

Elevated concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and decreased concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3) were shown to predict poor outcomes in patients with stroke. However, the prognostic value of CRP and T3 has not been studied simultaneously in relation to stroke functional and cognitive outcomes despite of close interaction between inflammatory markers and thyroid function. We evaluated the association of thyroid hormone and CRP concentrations with immediate outcomes after ischemic stroke. Eighty-eight ischemic stroke patients on admission to the stroke unit were evaluated for clinical stroke severity (Scandinavian stroke scale or SSS) and concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxin, free T3, and CRP. Functional outcome (modified Rankin scale) and cognitive outcome (Mini mental state examination) were evaluated at discharge. Greater ln CRP concentrations (r = −0.35, p = 0.001), but not thyroid hormone concentrations, correlated with score on the SSS. In univariate analyses lower free T3 concentrations and higher CRP concentrations were associated with poor functional and poor cognitive outcomes. After adjustment for clinical stroke severity, higher CRP concentrations (β = 0.18, p = 0.04) remained associated with worse functional outcome and lower free T3 concentrations with worse cognitive outcome (β = 0.23, p = 0.03). In sum, clinical stroke severity is associated with elevated CRP concentration. Higher CRP concentration is independently associated with worse functional outcomes and lower free T3 concentration with worse cognitive outcomes at discharge. T3 and CRP can be important biomarkers in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. David Y. Huang, MD, PhD, from the Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his valuable comments regarding this article. This research was funded by the European Social Fund under the Global Grant measure (contract number: VP1-3.1-SMM-07-K-02-060).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioral Medicine Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Vyduno al. 4, 00135, Palanga, Lithuania

    Adomas Bunevicius, Henrikas Kazlauskas, Nijole Raskauskiene & Robertas Bunevicius

  2. Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 170 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Adomas Bunevicius

  3. Department of Neurology, Klaipeda University Hospital, Liepojos g. 41, 92288, Klaipeda, Lithuania

    Henrikas Kazlauskas & Vinsas Janusonis

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  1. Adomas Bunevicius
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Correspondence to Adomas Bunevicius.

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Bunevicius, A., Kazlauskas, H., Raskauskiene, N. et al. Ischemic stroke functional outcomes are independently associated with C-reactive protein concentrations and cognitive outcomes with triiodothyronine concentrations: a pilot study. Endocrine 45, 213–220 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-013-9958-2

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