Clinical significance of the dynamic changes of serum IGF-1 levels in patients with acute cerebro-vascular accident

Objective: To investigate the dynamic changes of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels in patients with acute cerebrovascular accident. Methods: Serum IGF-1 levels were determined with RIA in 40 patients with cerebral infarction, 20 patients with lacunar infarcts and 40 patients with cerebral haemorrhage within 3days after onset and on d14 as well as in 30 controls. Results: The serum IGF-1 levels in patients with cerebral vascular accidents were significantly lower than those in controls (P <0.01), the levels in patients with cerebral infarction were significantly lower than those in patients with lacunar infarcts (P <0.01 ). On d14, levels of serum IGF-1 rose somewhat, with no difference between the levels in patients with cerebral haemorrhage and patients with cerebral infarction (P>0.05). Conclusion: Serum levels of IGF-1 dropped markedly during the acute stage after cerebrovascular accident and the magnitude might reflect the severity of the event, IGF-1 might be capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier after cerebrovascular accident and providing some protection against nerve injury, this fact might be of potential clinical applicability. (authors)