ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of plasma miR-124 in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods Forty patients with AIS were collected and 40 volunteers without history of AIS were set as control. Infarction volume was detected by MRI; plasma miR-124 expression level was measured by RTPCR technique and neural function was evaluated by NIHSS scores. Results Compared with that in the control group, plasma miR-124 level in AIS group was significantly reduced (P < 0.05). Plasma miR-124 level in AIS patients with infarction volume greater than 3 cm3 was significantly lower than that of AIS patients with infarction volume less than 3 cm3 (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between miR-124 and infarction volume (r =-0.473, P < 0.05). Plasma miR-124 level in AIS with NIHSS score higher than 5 was significantly lower than that of AIS patients with NIHSS lower than 5 (P< 0.05). NIHSS score negatively correlated with the miR-124 level of AIS patients (r =-0.567, P < 0.05). Conclusion The plasma miR-124 is significantly reduced in patients with AIS, and negatively correlated with the cerebral infarction volume and NIHSS score.