Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Biomarkers Panel in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide with far reaching consequences for the society and ischemic stroke accounting for approximately 85% of all strokes. Nowadays intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) remains the only approved acute treatment for ischemic stroke. However, despite great improvements in the field, still very few stroke patients benefit from these therapies(Zivin, 2009). That small number is due to the delay in hospital admission and diagnosis and the restrictive therapeutic window, since patients must be treated within 6 hours after stroke onset(Hacke et al., 2008). In this area, the applicability of biomarkers could help in improving safety and efficacy of the administration of reperfusion therapies(Berrocoso et al., 2010).