title: Natural anticoagulants (antithrombin III, protein C, and protein S) in patients with mild to moderate ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The role of the natural anticoagulants, antithrombin III (AT III), protein C (PC), and protein S (PS), in patients with mild to moderate ischemic stroke remains uncertain. We aimed to find out whether their levels in peripheral blood correlated with the severity of neurological deficit or can predict clinical outcome and recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied AT III, PC, and free PS levels in 55 consecutive patients likely to survive the study period on admission, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after a first-ever ischemic stroke. Sex- and age-matched controls were studied once. All patients underwent a full neurological examination and blood sampling at each study time point; comprehensive stroke risk factors were recorded, and the etiology of the ischemic stroke was determined. All patients were contacted 3 years later for possible recurrent ischemic events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AT III level was found to be significantly lower at all time points after stroke; PC level was significantly increased on admission and normal at subsequent measurements, and PS level was normal on admission but significantly decreased later. The levels of the natural anticoagulants did not correlate with the etiology of stroke, any stroke risk factor, or neurological scores, except that the AT III level on admission showed significant correlation with stroke severity and disability at 3 months. Natural anticoagulant levels did not predict recurrence of ischemic stroke.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The measurements of the level of AT III, PC, or PS did not deliver useful information for management of patients with mild or moderate ischemic stroke, expect that AT III level on admission might predict outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. elena.haapaniemi@hus.fi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haapaniemi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tatlisumak
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Soinne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Syrjälä
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaste
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000097:blood*; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000032:analysis*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011486:Protein C / Q000032:analysis*; D017293:Protein S / Q000032:analysis*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D011486:Protein C; D017293:Protein S; D015842:Serine Proteinase Inhibitors; D000990:Antithrombin III