Low triiodothyronine: A new facet of inflammation in acute ischemic stroke.

Abstract Background Patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) frequently experience low free triiodothyronine (fT3) concentrations. Inflammation is recognized as a key contributor to the pathophysiology of stroke. Previous studies, however, did not simultaneously evaluate fT3 and inflammation biomarkers in AIS patients. Methods Markers of inflammation, including serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin, and fT3 were assessed retrospectively in 117 patients. Stroke severity was measured on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Regression analyses were performed to adjust for confounders. Results Serum fT3 concentrations were significantly lower in moderate AIS patients than those in mild AIS patients ( P r  = 0.358, P 10 CRP concentration ( r  = − 0.341, P r  = − 0.384, P Conclusions Low fT3 concentrations may be involved in the pathogenic pathway linking inflammation to stroke severity in AIS patients.