LEUKOCYTE COUNT AND AGGREGATION DURING THE EVOLUTION OF CEREBRAL ISCHEMIC-INJURY

We evaluated leukocyte aggregation by means of the leukergy test and c ount in 26 patients with atherothrombotic stroke and in 10 patients wi th transient ischemic attacks. The evaluation was performed within 24 h from the onset of symptoms and then repeated on day 2, 4, 6 and 8. D ata were compared with those of 10 healthy controls. Stroke patients w ere followed until day 30 when a clinical examination and brain comput ed tomography were performed to evaluate the extent and outcome of cer ebral damage. Both leukocyte aggregation and count were significantly increased in stroke patients with respect to controls. While leukocyte count was not able to differentiate the severity of neurological impa irment in stroke patients, leukocyte aggregation was significantly hig her in major than in minor stroke patients on days 2 and 4 (p < 0.05). Moreover, while values of leukocyte count recorded at entry remained substantially stable in the following determinations in all groups, le ukocyte aggregation showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) on day 4 with respect to all the other determinations in major stroke patients. These findings show that the extent and temporal profile of changes i n leukocyte count and aggregation are different in patients with cereb rovascular disease and suggest an involvement of altered leukocyte rhe ology in the development of cerebral ischemic injury.