Intra-individual reproducibility of early and late C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in patients with non-severe ischaemic stroke and carotid atherosclerosis

• Published in: Cerebrovascular diseases extra 2024-12, p.1
• Main Authors: Gorey, Sarah, McCabe, John J, Collins, Sean, McAuley, Karl, Inzitari, Rosanna, Harbison, Joe, Marnane, Michael, Williams, David J, Kelly, Peter J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1664-5456; 1664-5456
• DOI: 10.1159/000540773

Acute and late inflammatory markers including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are associated with future vascular events after stroke. However, few longitudinal studies exist examining the intra-individual reproducibility of inflammatory biomarker measures at different time-points after atherosclerotic stroke. We sought to examine the reproducibility of hsCRP and IL-6 in a cohort of patients with minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) caused by ipsilateral carotid atherosclerosis. Two observational cohort studies (DUCASS and BIOVASC) were pooled. Included patients had non-severe ischaemic stroke and ipsilateral internal carotid artery stenosis (≥50%). Patients had bloods drawn within 2 weeks of their index stroke/TIA event which was stored for later analysis. All patients included were followed up at 5 years and repeat phlebotomy was performed. Bloods were analysed for hsCRP and IL-6 using high-throughput immunochemiluminescence. Difference between baseline and follow-up blood levels and intraclass correlation (ICC) were calculated. 95 participants were included, median age 69 (IQR 63-77), and 51 (53.7%) had TIA as their presenting event. When biomarkers were dichotomised, (for hsCRP