Bernadette L. Kirzinger (Germany)
Charité University Medicine Berlin
Institute of Neurology
Bernadette Kirzinger is a young doctor from Berlin, Germany. Growing up in Bavaria, she graduated medical school at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, in July 2021. During her studies, Bernadette started working for the “Center of Stroke Research” in Berlin and discovered her interest in this field. In 2018 she she started her doctor thesis about inflammatory markers in patients with subacute stroke, based around data from the multicentered PHYS-STROKE trial.

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THE DYNAMICS OF SERUM INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN SUBACUTE STROKE AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH AEROBIC FITNESS TRAINING AND CLINICAL OUTCOME: RESULTS OF THE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED PHYS-STROKE TRIAL

Session Name
0190 - Stroke Biomarkers (ID 98)
Session Type
Oral Presentations
Date
27.10.2021, Wednesday
Session Time
10:40 - 11:10
Room
ORAL PRESENTATIONS 2
Presenter
Lecture Time
10:40 - 10:50

Abstract

Background and Aims

Inflammatory markers are upregulated following stroke. Inflammatory activity after stroke is associated with increased mortality, recurrent vascular risk, and impaired outcome. However, dynamics of inflammatory markers in subacute stroke phases remain unclear. Physical fitness training may play a role in decreasing long-term inflammatory activity after stroke. Aims: To investigate the dynamics of hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha and fibrinogen in subacute to chronic stroke and to determine whether serum levels are modified by exposure to an early fitness training intervention and associated with functional recovery at follow-up.

Methods

This is an exploratory analysis of patients enrolled in the multicenter randomized-controlled PHYS-STROKE trial. Patients with subacute stroke (day 5-45) and standard rehabilitative therapy were randomized to receive either four weeks of aerobic fitness training or relaxation sessions. GEE-Models were used to investigate the dynamics of inflammatory markers and associations of aerobic fitness training with inflammatory markers over time. Using multiple logistic regression models, we analyzed associations between inflammatory marker levels and functional outcome (measured by mRS or BI) up to six months after stroke.

Results

Hs-CRP, IL-6, and fibrinogen levels declined significantly over time (p all ≤ 0.01). Exposure to aerobic fitness training did not influence levels of inflammatory markers at follow-up. Elevated baseline IL-6 and fibrinogen levels were independently associated with worse functional outcome parameters up until six months.

Conclusions

Elevated serum inflammatory markers gradually decrease after stroke. Increased IL-6 and fibrinogen in early and late subacute stroke phases are associated with impaired functional outcome up to six-months after stroke.

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