title: Serum C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and D-dimer in patients with progressive cerebral infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Progressive cerebral infarctions increase mortality and functional disability through mechanisms which have yet to be completely understood. The goal of this study was to explore the dynamic changes of serum C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen (FIB) and D-dimer (D-D) in order to better characterize progressive cerebral infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The amount of serum CRP, FIB and D-D was measured in 82 patients with progressive cerebral infarction by taking samples from the internal carotid artery (progressive group), and in 186 patients with non-progressive cerebral infarction (non-progressive group) by using an automatic biochemical analyzer during the next day (day 1), day 3, day 7, and day 14 after being admitted to hospital. Carotid vascular ultrasound and neurological deficit score (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, NIHSS) were also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Carotid stenosis ratio was significantly higher in the progressive group than in the non-progressive group (P < 0.01) on admission. In the progressive group, CRP increased significantly on day 3, followed by a decline on day 7 and day 14, but was significantly higher than those in the non-progressive group (P < 0.01). The levels of FIB and D-D increased in the progressive group more than those in the non-progressive group on day 3, day 7, and day 14 (P < 0.01). The progressive group patients' NIHSS score gradually increased after admission, which was opposite to the non-progressive group patients whom followed a downward trend. The difference between these two groups was significant (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Observing changes of CRP, FIB and D-D may contribute to early identification and timely treatment of progressing ischemic strokes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ruo-Shi
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Sheng-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yong-Zhe
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hua-Gang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: C-reactive protein; D-dimer; Fibrinogen; Neurological deficit score; Progressive cerebral infarction