Abstract

Background: The association between oxidised low density lipoprotein (OxLDL) and cerebral infarction is suspected but not established.

Objectives: To determine whether plasma OxLDL is a useful marker for monitoring oxidative stress in stroke patients.

Methods: Plasma OxLDL concentrations were determined in 56 stroke patients with cerebral infarction (n = 45) or cerebral haemorrhage (n = 11), and in 19 age matched controls, using a novel sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: Compared with the controls (0.130 (0.007) ng/μg LDL, mean (SEM)), OxLDL was significantly raised in patients with cerebral infarction (0.245 (0.022); p < 0.0001) but not in those with haemorrhage (0.179 (0.023)). Patients with cortical ischaemic infarcts (n = 22) had higher OxLDL levels than either the controls (p < 0.0001) or the patients with non-cortical ischaemic infarcts (n = 23) (p < 0.001). Increased OxLDL concentrations in patients with cortical infarcts persisted until the third day after stroke onset. The National Institutes of Health stroke scales in patients with cortical infarction were higher than in those with non-cortical infarction (p < 0.01).

Conclusions: There is a significant association between raised plasma OxLDL and acute cerebral infarction, especially cortical infarction. Plasma OxLDL may reflect oxidative stress in stroke patients.