THE PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF THE ACUTE-PHASE RESPONSE IN STROKE RECURRENCE

We measured the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in 318 acute stro ke patients receiving heparin to evaluate its predictor value on the r isk of early recurrence (first two weeks). The cumulative risks of ear ly recurrence were 2.93 +/- 1.85% for the low ESR group, and 9.77 +/- 3.25% for the high ESR group. With logistic regression the risk of ear ly stroke recurrence was associated to the ESR group (OR 3.55, 95% IC 1.24-10.15), and a history of recent (<1 week) (OR 6.95, 95% IC 2.06-2 3.42), or remote TIA (OR 4.27, 95% IC 1.22-14.91). These results point ed to an inflammatory component in the pathogenesis of early recurrent stroke.