Intracerebral Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Increase in Surgically Evacuated Intracerebral Hemorrhage - an Observational Microdialysis Study
Abstract Background: Treatment options for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are limited. A possible inflammatory response in the brain tissue surrounding an ICH may exacerbate the initial injury and could be a target for treatment. Methods: In this observational study, ten patients needing surgical evacuation of supratentorial ICH received two cerebral microdialysis (MD) catheters; one in the perihemorrhagic zone (PHZ), and one in non-eloquent cortex (SNX) remote from the ICH. The microdialysate was analysed for energy metabolites (including lactate/pyruvate ratio (LPR) and glucose) and for inflammatory mediators using a multiplex immunoassay of 27 cytokines and chemokines at 6-10 hours, 20-26 hours and 44-50 hours after surgery. Results: Deranged energy metabolic markers suggestive of a metabolic crisis were found in PHZ compared to SNX, persistent throughout the 50 hours. Pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ, anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-13, IL-4, and VEGF-A were significantly higher in PHZ compared to SNX, most prominent at 20-26 hours following ICH evacuation.Conclusions: Higher levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the perihemorrhagic brain tissue suggests a role for inflammatory mediators involved in secondary injury cascades potentially exacerbating tissue injury, which may constitute a target for future medical interventions.