Expression of interleukin-1 beta in lipopolysaccharide stimulated monocytes derived from patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is correlated with cerebral vasospasm

Cerebral arterial vasospasm is a frequent complication after aneurysmal sub arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Immunological activation may affect the develop ment of vasospasm. This study measured the cytokines released from lipopoly saccharide-stimulated monocytes of SAH patients. We measured cerebral arter y diameters before and after surgery for SAH. The activation index of inter leukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), but not tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), was higher in patients with symptomatic vasospasm (5.6 +/- 1.7; n = 11) th an in patients without (1.8 +/- 0.4; n = 11) (P = 0.039). Furthermore, the IL-1 beta activation index was correlated with the degree of the postoperat ive angiographic vasospasm (correlation coefficient = -0.66, P = 0.007). In dividual variation in systemic immune activation, measured by monocyte-deri ved IL-1 beta expression levels after stimulation, may be associated with t he development of vasospasm after aneurysmal SAH. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.