Expression of serum miR-126 in patients with intracranial aneurysm and its relationship with postoperative cerebral vasospasm.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the expression of serum miR-126 in patients with intracranial aneurysm and to explore its relationship with postoperative cerebral vasospasm.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, 85 patients with intracranial aneurysms diagnosed and treated in our hospital were enrolled into the research group (RG), and 83 healthy volunteers who came to our hospital for physical examination were selected as the control group (CG). The serum miR-126 expression in both groups was examined by RT-PCR, and the relationship between the diagnostic value of miR-126 for intracranial aneurysm and postoperative cerebral vasospasm was analyzed. The serum inflammatory related factors in the patients were tested, and their correlation with miR-126 was assessed. The risk factors of postoperative cerebral vasospasm were evaluated by multiple factors.

RESULTS

The serum miR-126 expression in patients with intracranial aneurysm was obviously lower than that of participants in CG (P<0.05), and the AUC of miR-126 in diagnosing intracranial aneurysm was 0.945, which was of high diagnostic value. Serum inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6 were highly expressed in the serum of patients with intracranial aneurysm, which were positively correlated with the miR-126 level (P<0.05). After operation, the serum miR-126 level in patients with cerebral vasospasm was obviously higher than that of those without cerebral vasospasm, and the AUC of miR-126 for predicting cerebral vasospasm after operation was 0.859. Logistic regression analysis revealed that preoperative bleeding frequency, history of hypertension, Hunt-Hess grade and high expression of miR-126 were independent risk factors for cerebral vasospasm after operation in patients with intracranial aneurysm.

CONCLUSION

miR-126 is highly expressed in the serum of patients with intracranial aneurysm, so it may be used as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of patients with intracranial aneurysm and the prediction of cerebral vasospasm after operation.