title: Strongly increased levels of fibrinogen elastase degradation products in patients with ischemic stroke.
abstract: Ischemic stroke is associated with leucocyte activation. Activated leucocytes release elastase, an enzyme that can degrade fibrinogen. Fibrinogen elastase degradation products (FgEDP) may serve as a specific marker of elastase proteolytic activity. In a case-control study of 111 ischemic stroke patients and 119 controls, significantly higher FgEDP levels were observed in cases than in controls, both in the acute phase and in the convalescent phase. Results were only slightly affected by adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. Our findings suggest that FgEDP might be involved in the pathogenesis of stroke.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lonneke M L
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Lau
authors.forename: Elim Y L
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Cornelis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kluft
authors.forename: Frank W G
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Leebeek
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.forename: Ria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laterveer
authors.forename: Diederik W J
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Dippel
authors.forename: Moniek P M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de Maat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000097:blood; D012306:Risk; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase