Abstract:

Objective In patients with acute cerebral infarction serum glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) level and its temple profile was determined to investigate the relationship between GFAP level and the size of brain lesions, neurological status(NIHSS) and functional outcome(Barthel Index, BI). Methods Self-established biotin-avidin multi-layers magnifying solid phase enzyme immunoassay was used to determine serum GFAP level in patients with acute cerebral infarction at the time of 48 h, the fifth day, the seventh day and the fourtheen day after onset of stroke. All patients'neurological status was evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at corresponding time points, and functional outcome was evaluated by BI at discharge from the hospital. Results For all patients observed, serum GFAP level increased markedly compared to that of control group at the time of 48 h after onset of stroke(P=0.015). With time elapsing, it decreased, and restored to normal level at the seventh day(P=0.056), but increased again at the fourteen day compared to that of control group(P=0.027) . There was significant difference for serum GFAP levels among patients with larger, middle, smaller size of brain lesion and normal control group at 48 h and the fifth day respectively after onset of stroke(P=0.032, P=0.048). Patients with larger size of brain lesion have relatively higher level of serum GFAP. There was significant linear negative correlation between serum GFAP level and NIHSS score at the fifth day or the seventh day, respectively(P<0.05),and there was also significant linear positive correlation between GFAP on the fifth day and the seventh day and BI score at discharge(P<0.05). Conclusion GFAP level in blood of patients with acute cerebral infarction increase markedly, which might be a useful marker for disease assessment and prognosis predicting.

Key words: cerebral infarction, glial fibrillary acidic protein, NIHSS, Barthel index