title: Blood markers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in cardioembolic stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various processes including inflammation and endothelial dysfunction have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardioembolic (CE) strokes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review the evidence and investigate the association between immune-inflammatory biomarkers and CE strokes versus other stroke subtypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically reviewed the literature (sources: MEDLINE, web-based register http://stroke-biomarkers.com , reference lists) with quality assessment and meta-analysis of selected articles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most consistent association was found between C-reactive protein (CRP) and CE strokes when compared to other stroke subtypes (standardized mean difference 0.223 (0.116, 0.343); p < 0.001) Conclusions: Our findings confirm a possible association between selected inflammatory biomarkers and CE stroke.
authors.affiliation: a Neuroscience Section, Department of Neurofarba , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piccardi
authors.affiliation: b Neurovascular Research Laboratory , Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Dolors
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giralt
authors.affiliation: b Neurovascular Research Laboratory , Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bustamante
authors.affiliation: b Neurovascular Research Laboratory , Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Llombart
authors.affiliation: b Neurovascular Research Laboratory , Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: García-Berrocoso
authors.affiliation: a Neuroscience Section, Department of Neurofarba , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.|c Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inzitari
authors.affiliation: b Neurovascular Research Laboratory , Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montaner
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; biological markers; stroke