Plasma Neuron-specific Enolase and Glutamic Acid Level in Acute Ischemic Stroke

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We studied the plasma neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and glutamic acid levels as a marker of the severity of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: We enrolled 93 patients who visited to the emergency department from April to September, 2005. The AIS patients included those who visited the emergency department within 24 hours due to ischemic stroke symptoms. The AIS patients was subclassified according to large-vessel, small-vessel, cardioembolic, or unclassified infarction. RESULTS: The plasma NSE and glutamic acid level were 15.1+/-7.9 ng/ml and 204.5+/-86.5 nM/ml, respectively, in the AIS patients. Plasma NSE and Glutamic acid in the was higher than reference range (NSE 0-12 ng/ml, Glutamic acid 0-130 nM/ml). According to the type of infarction, no differences were observed in the plasma NSE and glutamic acid levels. CONCLUSION: In cases of AIS, NSE and glutamic acid have no statistical usefulness in classifying the type of infarction. However, the value of plasma NSE and glutamic acid levels have statistical usefulness in deciding on the existence or nonexistence of an AIS.