The prognostic value of serum tau in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum tau concentrations and 3-month clinical outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Serum tau concentrations of 176 patients were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The end points were mortality and poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale score>2) after 3 months.

RESULTS

110 patients (62.5%) had a poor outcome at 3 months. The 3-month mortality rate was 36.4% (64/176). A forward stepwise logistic regression selected serum tau concentration as an independent predictor for 3-month mortality (P=0.002) and poor outcomes (P=0.009) of patients. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that serum tau concentration predicted 3-month mortality (P=0.001) and poor outcomes (P=0.001) statistically significantly. The area under curve of tau was similar to that of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score for 3-month mortality (P=0.715) and poor outcomes (P=0.315). In a combined logistic-regression model, tau statistically significantly improved the area under curve of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score for the prediction of 3-month poor outcome (P=0.039), but not for the prediction of 3-month mortality (P=0.106).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum tau concentration represents a novel biomarker for predicting mortality and poor outcomes at 3 months in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.