Relationship between serum GDF-15 and HCY levels and degree of neurological deficit and infarct size in patients with acute ischemic stroke

Zeng Jinhnog; Deng Aiying; Wu Xiaoyan; Yao Xiuying

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-7151.2025.04.002

Abstract：Objective To explore the relationship between serum growth differentiation factor 15(GDF-15)and homocysteine(HCY)levels and the degree of neurological deficit and infarct size in patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS).Methods Serum samples were collected from patients diagnosed with AIS in Shipai Hospital of Dongguan City from March 2023 to June 2024,who were included in AIS group.In addition,serum samples from 60 healthy subjects undergoing physical examination during the same period were selected and included in control group.The serum levels of GDF-15 and HCY were compared between two groups.The AIS patients were divided into mild group(80 cases),moderate group(29 cases)and severe group(11 cases)according to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score,and into large infarction group(14 cases),medium infarction group(35 cases)and lacunar infarction group(71 cases)according to infarct size.The serum levels of GDF-15 and HCY were compared among AIS patients with different disease severity and different infarct sizes.Results The serum levels of GDF-15 and HCY in AIS group were significantly higher than those in control group[GDF-15(ng/L):1 390.46±278.10 vs.793.55±184.37;HCY(μmol/L):24.35±2.96 vs.11.78±2.56;both P<0.05].The serum level of GDF-15 in severe group was significantly higher than those in moderate group and mild group(ng/L:1 737.89±152.41 vs.1 437.98±139.62,1 325.49±125.15,both P<0.05),and the level of HCY in moderate group was significantly higher than those in severe group and mild group(μmol/L:30.49±6.387 vs.17.26±4.34,23.10±5.21,both P<0.05).The serum level of GDF-15 in large infarction group was significantly higher than those in medium infarction group and lacunar infarction group(ng/L:1 858.98±249.87 vs.1 444.28±190.22,1 271.55±141.69,both P<0.05),and the level of HCY in medium infarction group was significantly higher than those in large infarction group and lacunar infarction group(μmol/L:29.97±8.02 vs.24.31±7.45,21.59±7.45,both P<0.05).Conclusions GDF-15 and HCY are highly expressed in serum of AIS patients,and their levels are related to the degree of neurological deficit.High serum HCY level suggests that the patient mostly has medium infarction,which has certain reference value for the early diagnosis of the patient's condition.