Inflammatory cytokines and cells are potential markers for patients with cerebral apoplexy in intensive care unit

Cerebral apoplexy is a disease caused by obstruction of the blood circulation in the brain. Evidence has indicated that inflammatory cytokines are implicated in ischaemic cerebral apoplexy and are regarded as a general cardiovascular risk factor, which may be a possible immediate trigger, a component of the response to tissue injury and a therapeutic target. The present study investigated changes of inflammatory cytokines and cells in patients with cerebral apoplexy at the intensive care unit (ICU). The plasma concentrations of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-1β and IL-17A were evaluated using ELISA. Changes in the plasma concentrations of inflammatory cells were detected by using flow cytometry. The results indicated that serum levels of TNF-α, IL-4, IL-8, IL-1β and IL-17A were upregulated in patients with cerebral apoplexy compared with those in healthy individuals, while those of IL-6 and IL-10 were downregulated. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the plasma concentration of lymphocytes, granulocytes and mononuclear cells was decreased in patients with cerebral apoplexy in the ICU compared with that in healthy individuals. Of note, humoral as well as cellular inflammatory cytokines were evidently increased in patients with cerebral apoplexy in ICU. In conclusion, the present study provided evidence that inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory cells are upregulated, while anti-inflammatory cytokines are downregulated in patients with cerebral apoplexy in an ICU setting. These results suggest that anti-inflammatory interventions may be beneficial either in the prevention or acute treatment of patients with cerebral apoplexy.