Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 as a serum biomarker of early neurologic deterioration and prognosis in acute supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage

Background: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) participates in neuroinflammation. We intended to ascertain whether serum soluble TREM-1 (sTREM-1) could be utilized as a biomarker of inflammation, severity, early neurologic deterioration (END) and outcome after primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: Serum sTREM-1 levels were gauged in 104 ICH patients and 104 healthy controls. END was diagnosed when the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score increased >= 4 points or death between admission and 24 h after admission. Patients with a modified Rankin scale score of > 2 at 3 months were considered to have poor outcome. Results: As compared to controls, patients exhibited significantly elevated serum sTREM-1 levels (median: 309.0 vs 67.9 pg/ml). Serum sTREM-1 concentrations were intimately correlated with NIHSS score (r = 0.574), hematoma volume (r = 0.554), blood leukocyte count (r = 0.529) and serum C-reactive protein concentrations (r = 0.509). Serum sTREM-1 concentrations > 309.0 pg/ml independently predicted END and poor outcome with odds ratio values of 4.054 and 4.721 respectively. Serum sTREM-1 concentrations distinguished END and poor outcome with areas under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.789 and 0.813 respectively. Conclusion: Serum sTREM-1 may represent a promising inflammatory biomarker for assessment of severity and prediction of END and poor outcome after ICH.