Background Erythropoietin (EPO), which is associated with anemia, exerts neuroprotective effects in ischemic stroke. In cases of stenosis or narrowing of the main cerebral blood vessel, the prognosis is favorable if collateral blood circulation is well developed in acute stroke. Several studies have investigated the relationship between EPO administration and stroke outcomes. The present study investigated the correlation between serum EPO level and cerebral collateral circulation, which could result in favorable clinical outcomes.
Methods The study subjects were patients diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke who underwent initial brain magnetic resonance imaging between January 2020 and March 2022. Following brain computed tomography perfusion for collateral flow, serum EPO levels were measured. Collaterals were assessed according to the Mass system and divided into good collateral (GC) or poor collateral (PC) groups. Serum EPO levels were determined using a chemiluminescence immunoassay method. A correlation coefficient analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between serum EPO levels and GC. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis determined the cutoff value of EPO for GC.
Results Serum EPO levels were significantly higher in the GC than that in the PC group (P<0.05). The cut-off level of serum EPO for a good outcome was 9.1 mIU/mL.
Conclusion A high serum EPO (>9.1 mIU/mL) could be a marker of GC in patients with acute ischemic stroke that predicts good clinical outcomes.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Reinforcement of Transdural Angiogenesis: A Novel Approach to Treating Ischemic Stroke With Cerebral Perfusion Impairment Ji Man Hong, Hee Sun Shin Journal of Stroke.2025; 27(1): 30. CrossRef
Dexmedetomidine Promotes Angiogenesis After Ischemic Stroke Through the NRF2/HO-1/VEGF Pathway Zhenxing Tao, Pengpeng Li, Yushi Tang, Wenhui Yang, Yilu Li, Jieqiong Yang, Jiajia Tian, Yating Zhang, Yan Zou, Bai Xu, Xudong Zhao Neurochemical Research.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Albumin levels and cerebral collateral circulation in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to intracranial arteriosclerotic: A propensity score-matched analysis Le Wang, Qiang Shi, Yi-dong Xue, Chan Cao, Ying-Ying Zheng Medicine.2024; 103(21): e38254. CrossRef