Relationship between serum S-100 protein level and ischemic damage degree in patients with acute cerebral infarction

Objective: To investigate the time course of serum S-100 concentrations of patients with acute cerebral infarction,and their relation with the clinical data and the prognosis. Methods: Serum S-100 levels were serially determined in 36 patients with acute cerebral infarction within 12 h, at 24 h and day 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 10 after acute cerebral infarction and in 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects. An S-100 content assay was performed using a two-site radioimmunoassay technique. The clinical status was assessed using NIH Stroke Scale. The functional deficit at 4 weeks after acute cerebral infarction was scored using the modified Rankin scale. A cranial computed tomography was performed initially. Results: Elevated concentrations of S-100 (>0.2 μg/L) were observed in 29 of 36 patients with acute cerebral infarction,but none of the control subjects. The S-100 peak levels were at day 2 and 3 after acute cerebral infarction and were significantly high in those patients with severe neurological deficit at admission, with extensive infarction or with space-occupying effect of ischemic edema as compared with the rest of the populations. Conclusion: Serum S-100 level assay can be used as a peripheral marker of ischemic brain damage, and may be helpful for evaluation of therapeutic effects in acute ischemic stroke.