title: Infarction Size, Interleukin-6, and Their Interaction Are Predictors of Short-Term Stroke Outcome in Young Egyptian Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A trend of increasing incidence of first-ever cerebral ischemic stroke in young adults has been recently reported. The current study was conducted with the objective of identifying independent predictors of short-term outcome of first-ever cerebral ischemic stroke affecting young Egyptian adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present hospital-based study included 50 patients, 23 males and 27 females, aged 18-45 years, with first-ever ischemic stroke confirmed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging. Twenty healthy age- and sex-matched random control subjects were included to set the reference laboratory values. Detailed medical, neurological, and laboratory data were collected. Stroke severity and short-term stroke outcome were assessed using the Canadian Neurological Scale and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High prevalence of modifiable risk factors was observed in young Egyptian adults affected with first-ever ischemic cerebral stroke. Although all studied risk factors were significantly correlated with NIHSS score, multiple regression analysis revealed that only infarction size (CT size), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and their synergistic interaction were the most important predictors of NIHSS stroke outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IL-6 and infarction size were independent predictors of short-term stroke outcome in young Egyptian adults. Synergistic interaction of IL-6 with infarction size suggests an investigative value for assessing serum IL-6 level and a therapeutic benefit for its reduction during the course of early ischemic stroke treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rasha M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fahmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt. Electronic address: elsaid_af@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmed F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Elsaid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6
keywords: CRP; CT size; Egypt; IL-6; NIHSS; Stroke; short-term stroke outcome; young adults