Objective:

To investigate the relationship between post-stroke fibrinogen levels and three-month prognosis in patients experiencing their first ischemic stroke, and to determine the impact of fibrinogen on morbidity and mortality.

Background:

Fibrinogen, a key coagulation factor and acute-phase reactant, has been implicated in the pathophysiology and outcomes of ischemic stroke. Elevated levels may reflect a pro-thrombotic and pro-inflammatory state that could influence neurological recovery.

Design/Methods:

This prospective study included 100 consecutive patients admitted with a first ischemic stroke to the Neurology Clinic of Gaziantep City Hospital. Stroke severity was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional outcome with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at baseline and at 3-month follow-up. Serum fibrinogen levels obtained from routine blood tests during the acute phase were recorded. Correlations between fibrinogen levels and clinical outcomes were analyzed using Pearson correlation and linear regression.

Results:

Fibrinogen levels showed significant positive correlations with stroke severity and functional outcome both at admission and at 3 months. Baseline fibrinogen was associated with NIHSS (r = 0.371, p < 0.001) and mRS (r = 0.439, p < 0.001) scores. At three months, fibrinogen remained significantly related to NIHSS (r = 0.544, p < 0.001) and mRS (r = 0.538, p < 0.001). Regression analysis indicated that each one-unit increase in fibrinogen predicted a 0.018-unit rise in NIHSS and a 0.008-unit rise in mRS scores (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: