Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio are associated with cryptogenic stroke in patients with patent foramen ovale.

INTRODUCTION: Although most ischaemic strokes are due to cardioembolism, about 25-40% of strokes are cryptogenic. Patent foramen ovale has been associated with cryptogenic stroke; however, the precise mechanism of this association has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between inflammatory markers and cryptogenic stroke in patients with patent foramen ovale. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included 206 patients with patent foramen ovale. Ninety-four (45.63%) out of 206 patients had had stroke, and 112 (54.37%) had not had stroke. The ratio of the total neutrophil count to the total lymphocyte count was defined as the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, and the ratio of the absolute platelet count to the absolute lymphocyte count was determined as the platelet to lymphocyte count. RESULTS: The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher in patients who had stroke than in those who did not (2.41 ±1.69 vs. 2.19 ±1.74, p = 0.047). Although the platelet to lymphocyte count was also higher in patients who had had stroke than in those who had not, it was not statistically significant (120.94 ±55.45 vs. 118.01 ±52.21, p = 0.729). 1.62 was the cut-off value for neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio to be associated with stroke with 73.4% sensitivity and 45.05% specificity (p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that elevated neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte count could be associated with cryptogenic stroke in patients with patent foramen ovale.

Presepsin (sCD14-ST): could it be a novel marker for the diagnosis of ST elevation myocardial infarction?

INTRODUCTION: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) could be considered to be a state of inflammation. Many inflammatory markers have been evaluated in the AMI setting so far. Presepsin (PSP) is a novel biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of systemic inflammation that has not been studied in the AMI setting to date. In this study, we aimed to examine serum PSP levels in patients with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients with STEMI and fifty healthy controls without coronary artery disease, verified by coronary angiography, were included in the study. Together with routine laboratory tests needed for STEMI, plasma concentrations of PSP were measured in peripheral venous blood samples of the participants. RESULTS: Plasma PSP and troponin levels were significantly higher in patients with STEMI than controls (1988.89 ±3101.55 vs. 914.22 ±911.35 pg/ml, p = 0.001 and 3.46 ±3.39 vs. 0.08 ±0.43 ng/ml, p = 0.001, respectively). The cut-off value for PSP of 447 pg/ml was found to detect STEMI with 87.5% sensitivity, 44% specificity, 60% positive predictive value and 78.5% negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, PSP levels were found to be significantly elevated in patients with STEMI together with high-sensitivity troponins. The PSP may be a new marker for AMI detection. Large scale studies are needed to reveal the importance of PSP in the diagnosis and prognosis of AMI.