title: Osteoprotegerin concentrations and prognosis in acute ischaemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Concentrations of osteoprotegerin (OPG) have been associated with the presence of vascular and cardiovascular diseases, but the knowledge of this marker in the setting of ischaemic stroke is limited.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 244 patients with acute ischaemic stroke (age: 69 +/- 13 years), samples of OPG were obtained serially from presentation to day 5. Patients with overt ischaemic heart disease and atrial fibrillation were excluded. The patients were followed for 47 months, with all-cause mortality as the sole end-point. Multivariable predictors of OPG values at presentation included haemoglobin (T = -2.82; P = 0.005), creatinine (T = 4.56; P < 0.001), age (T = 9.66; P < 0.001), active smoking (T = 2.25; P = 0.025) and pulse rate (T = 3.23; P = 0.001). At follow-up 72 patients (29%) had died. Patients with OPG < or =2945 pg mL(-1) at baseline had a significantly improved survival rate on univariate analysis (P < 0.0001); other time-points did not add further prognostic information. In multivariate analysis, after adjustment for age, stroke severity, C-reactive protein levels, troponin T levels, heart and renal failure concentrations of OPG independently predicted long-term mortality after stroke (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1 to 4.9; P = 0.024).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osteoprotegerin concentrations measured at admission of acute ischaemic stroke are associated with long-term mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueland
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atar
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gullestad
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mickley
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aukrust
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Januzzi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D053244:Osteoprotegerin