Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association
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J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis · Jan 2011
Review Meta AnalysisMatrix metalloproteinase-9 as a marker for acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review.
Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a possible marker for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). In animal models of cerebral ischemia, MMP expression was significantly increased and was related to blood-brain barrier disruption, vasogenic edema formation, and hemorrhagic transformation. The definition of the exact role of MMPs after ischemic stroke will have important diagnostic implications for stroke and for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating MMPs. ⋯ Moreover, MMP-9 was a predictor of the development of intracerebral hemorrhage in patients treated with thrombolytic therapy. MMP-9 level was significantly increased after stroke onset, with the level correlating with infarct volume, stroke severity, and functional outcome. MMP-9 is a possible marker for ongoing brain ischemia, as well as a predictor of hemorrhage in patients treated with t-PA.