title: Elevated visfatin/pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor plasma concentration in ischemic stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visfatin/pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor is a cytokine that is expressed as a protein in several tissues (e.g., liver, skeletal muscle, immune cells), including adipose tissue, and is reported to stimulate inflammatory cytokine expressions and promote vascular smooth cell maturation. Visfatin may act as a proinflammatory cytokine and be involved in the process of atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated whether plasma visfatin levels were altered in patients with ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma visfatin concentrations were measured through enzyme immunoassays in patients with ischemic stroke and in control subjects without stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean plasma concentration of visfatin in the 120 patients with ischemic stroke was significantly higher than that of the 120 control subjects without stroke (51.5 +/- 48.4 v 23.0 +/- 23.9 ng/mL, P < .001). Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed plasma visfatin to be an independent factor associated with ischemic stroke. Increasing concentrations of visfatin were independently and significantly associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke when concentrations were analyzed as both a quartile and a continuous variable. The multiple logistic regression analysis-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for ischemic stroke in the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 2.3 (0.7-7.7), 6.9 (2.2-23.3), and 20.1 (4.9-97.7), respectively. Plasma visfatin concentration was positively associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and negatively associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that higher visfatin levels are associated with ischemic stroke in the Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Sheng-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chao-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-Chin
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Teng-Hung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Cheng-An
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Fu-Mei
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Shyi-Jang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Yau-Jiunn
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human