The Prognostic Determinant of Interleukin-10 in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: An Analysis from the Perspective of Disease Management.

BACKGROUND

In patients with ischemic stroke, the role of anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-10 (IL-10) in predicting risk and outcomes is not very clear. This study is aimed at prospectively assessing the prognostic determinant value of IL-10 in patients with acute ischemic stroke in a cohort of Chinese people.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study, consecutive first-ever patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to our hospital were included from October 2019 to October 2020. The serum level of IL-10 was measured at baseline. A structured follow-up telephone interview was performed on day 90 after admission. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the prognostic value of IL-10 to predict the poor functional outcome (defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 3 to 6) and mortality.

RESULTS

The median age of the 236 enrolled patients was 65 years (interquartile range (IQR), 56-76), and 57.6% were male. There was a negative correlation between the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and IL-10 serum levels ( (Spearman) = -0.221, = 0.001). Patients with elevated IL-10 levels (> the highest quartile = 5.24 pg/mL; = 79) were at significantly lower risk of poor functional outcomes (odds ratio (OR), 0.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.19 to 0.63; < 0.001) and mortality (OR = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.11-0.52; < 0.001) compared with patients with IL-10 levels in the lowest three quartiles.

CONCLUSIONS

Reduced serum levels of IL-10 were independently associated with both the clinical severity at admission and a poor functional prognosis in ischemic stroke patients, suggesting that the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was an important prognostic determinant.