Muscle mass as a modifier of stress response in acute ischemic stroke patients


ARSAVA E. M., Gungor L., ŞİRİN H., SORGUN M. H., AYKAÇ Ö., BATUR ÇAĞLAYAN H. Z., ...More

Scientific reports, vol.14, no.1, pp.10088, 2024 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 14 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1038/s41598-024-60829-6
  • Journal Name: Scientific reports
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Page Numbers: pp.10088
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Stroke triggers a systemic inflammatory response over the ensuing days after the cerebral insult. The age and comorbidities of the stroke population make them a vulnerable population for low muscle mass and sarcopenia, the latter being another clinical condition that is closely associated with inflammation, as shown by increased levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR). In this study, we evaluated the relationship between post-stroke NLR changes and muscle mass in a prospective cohort of acute ischemic stroke patients (n = 102) enrolled in the Muscle Assessment in Stroke Study Turkey (MASS-TR). Admission lumbar computed tomography images were used to determine the cross-sectional muscle area of skeletal muscles at L3 vertebra level and calculate the skeletal muscle index (SMI). The median (IQR) SMI was 44.7 (39.1-52.5) cm2/m2, and the NLR at admission and follow-up were 4.2 (3.0-10.5) and 9.4 (5.7-16.2), respectively. While there was no relationship between SMI and admission NLR, a significant inverse correlation was observed between SMI and follow-up NLR (r = - 0.26; P = 0.007). Lower SMI remained significantly associated (P = 0.036) with higher follow-up NLR levels in multivariate analysis. Our findings highlight the importance of muscle mass as a novel factor related to the level of post-stroke stress response.