Prognostic value of plasma neuroendocrine biomarkers in patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

Inflammation and activation of the neuroendocrine systems comprise important aspects of stroke pathophysiology. The present study investigated whether baseline plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), cortisol and copeptin levels on admission can predict short-term outcomes and mortality after acute ischaemic stroke. The study group consisted of 189 patients who had their first acute ischaemic stroke. Plasma levels of BNP, NT-proBNP, cortisol and copeptin were evaluated to determine their value with respect to predicting functional outcome and mortality within 3 months. As a result of cardiovascular and neurological investigations (including imaging techniques), lesion size, stroke subtype classification and clinical outcome after 3 months were determined. Plasma levels of BNP, NT-proBNP, cortisol and copeptin were associated with stroke severity, as well as short-term functional outcomes. After adjusting for all other significant outcome predictors, NT-proBNP, cortisol and copeptin remained as independent outcome predictors. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the biomarker panel (including BNP, NT-proBNP, cortisol and copeptin) predicted functional outcome and death within 90 days significantly more efficiently than the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) or the biomarker alone. Copeptin showed a significantly greater discriminatory ability as a single biomarker compared to BNP, NT-proBNP, cortisol and NIHSS score. These results suggest that a biomarker panel may add valuable and time-sensitive prognostic information in the early evaluation of acute ischaemic stroke. This may provide a channel for interventional therapy in acute stroke.