The Association between Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 Levels and Clinical Prognosis in Patients with Ischemic Stroke

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies report that the insulin-like growth factor system may be involved in stroke pathogenesis, and is reported to increase myelination, maturation, cell proliferation and neuronal sprouting of the central nervous system. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the role of insulin-like growth factor system in ischemic stroke pathogenesis and its association with the prognosis by investigating insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 levels in patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: : Sixty-eight patients and 20 healthy individuals were included to this study. Clinical evaluation of the patients was performed according to National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and functional outcomes were graded according to Modified Rankin Scale. Bamford classification was used for the clinical classification of ischemic strokes, and the TOAST system for etiological classification. Each patient's levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 were measured on the first, fifth and thirtieth day of ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Only the levels of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 on the day of 5 were significantly decreased compared to the control group. The decrease in IGF-1 values was associated with an increased risk of death and was accompanied by clinical worsening and decreased functionality. CONCLUSION: It has been concluded that the levels of investigating insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 may affect mortality risk, clinical condition and functionality outcomes in patients presenting with ischemic stroke, and further studies are needed for the investigation of different effects of insulin-like growth factor-1 in future