Serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate is higher among ethnic South Asian compared to ethnic Chinese ischemic stroke patients. Is this attributable to metabolic syndrome or central obesity?

Background and purpose Identifying embolic strokes of undetermined source (ESUS) patients likely to harbor atrial fibrillation may have diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Our aim was to examine differences between ESUS and cardioembolic strokes, to evaluate stroke recurrence rate among ESUS and to identify baseline characteristics of ESUS patients who were later diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Materials and methods We assessed all ischemic stroke patients admitted between June 2012 and November 2013. ESUS were compared to cardioembolic strokes at discharge. After at least 12-month follow-up, ESUS patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation were compared to those who remained as ESUS. Results There were 236 ischemic strokes, 32.6% were ESUS. Compared to cardioembolic strokes, ESUS were younger (p < 0.0001), had milder strokes (p < 0.05), less prevalence of hypertension (p < 0.05), peripheral vascular disease (p < 0.05), and previous ischemic stroke (p < 0.05). After follow-up, 15% of ESUS patients had stroke recurrences and 12% evidenced paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. ESUS patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in the follow-up were older (p < 0.0001), had higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p < 0.05), and were more likely to have ≥2 infarcts in the same arterial territory in the initial magnetic resonance imaging (p < 0.05). Conclusions Older age, small-scattered infarcts on initial magnetic resonance imaging and high erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels appear to identify ESUS patients more likely to be diagnosed of atrial fibrillation during follow-up.

Download Full-text

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate: Can be a prognostic marker in acute ischemic stroke?

Turkish Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.5505/tbdhd.2013.32042 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 18-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Selim Selcuk Comoglu ◽

Asli Ece Cilliler ◽

Hayat Guven

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate ◽

Prognostic Marker ◽

Sedimentation Rate ◽

Erythrocyte Sedimentation

Download Full-text

Role of erythrocyte sedimentation rate in ischemic stroke as an inflammatory marker of carotid atherosclerosis

Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice ◽

10.4103/0976-3147.127870 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 5 (01) ◽

pp. 40-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Amit Shankar Singh ◽

Virendra Atam ◽

Besthenahalli Erappa Yathish ◽

Liza Das ◽

Seiddhartha Koonwar

Keyword(s):

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate ◽

Sedimentation Rate ◽

Carotid Atherosclerosis ◽

Inflammatory Marker ◽

Intima Media Thickness ◽

Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽

Media Thickness ◽

Erythrocyte Sedimentation ◽

Increased Risk

ABSTRACT Background: Inflammation mediates a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis which is an important cause of ischemic stroke. An elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) may, therefore, be a marker of the extent andor intensity of a general atherosclerotic process and thus a marker for advanced atherosclerosis heralding increased risk of arterial thrombosis leading to ischemic stroke. Materials and Methods: ESR was calculated in ischemic stroke patients by Westergren′s method along with carotid sonography using high resolution 7.5 MHz techniques to find the prevalence of increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and presence of plaque according to Mannheim Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Consensus. Results: Average value of ESR in all patients was 27.89 ± 9.73 mm/h. A significant association was found between ESR and markers of carotid atherosclerosis, that is, high CIMT of more than 0.8 mm (P < 0.0001) and presence of plaque (P-0.026) in univariate analysis. Also, a significant positive correlation was found between ESR and serum fibrinogen, another inflammatory marker. (r = 0.88, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The extent of inflammation may reflect in part the propensity of atherosclerotic lesions to lead to clinical disease. Study shows the association of ESR with markers of atherosclerosis confirming the strength of the inflammatory response associated with carotid atherosclerosis and might conceivably carry important prognostic information regarding occurrence of such catastrophic events in future.

Download Full-text