Association of admission neutrophil serine proteinases levels with the outcomes of acute ischemic stroke: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil serine proteinases (NSPs), released by activated neutrophils, are key proteins involved in the pathophysiologic processes of stroke. NSPs are also implicated in the process and response of thrombolysis. This study aimed to analyze three NSPs (neutrophil elastase, cathepsin G, and proteinase 3) in relation to acute ischemic stroke (AIS) outcomes and in relation to the outcomes of patients treated with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV-rtPA). METHODS: Among 736 patients prospectively recruited at the stroke center from 2018 to 2019, 342 patients diagnosed with confirmed AIS were included. Plasma neutrophil elastase (NE), cathepsin G (CTSG), and proteinase 3 (PR3) concentrations were measured on admission. The primary endpoint was unfavorable outcome defined as modified Rankin Scale score 3–6 at 3 months, and the secondary endpoints were symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) within 48 h, and mortality within 3 months. In the subgroup of patients who received IV-rtPA, post-thrombolysis early neurological improvement (ENI) (defined as National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score = 0 or decrease of ≥ 4 within 24 h after thrombolysis) was also included as the secondary endpoint. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between NSPs levels and AIS outcomes. RESULTS: Higher NE and PR3 plasma levels were associated with the 3-month mortality and 3-month unfavorable outcome. Higher NE plasma levels were also associated with the risk of sICH after AIS. After adjusting for potential confounders, plasma NE level > 229.56 ng/mL (odds ratio [OR] = 4.478 [2.344–8.554]) and PR3 > 388.77 ng/mL (OR = 2.805 [1.504–5.231]) independently predicted the 3-month unfavorable outcome. Regarding rtPA treatment, patients with NE plasma concentration > 177.22 ng/mL (OR = 8.931 [2.330–34.238]) or PR3 > 388.77 ng/mL (OR = 4.275 [1.045–17.491]) were over 4 times more likely to suffer unfavorable outcomes after rtPA treatment. The addition of NE and PR3 to clinical predictors of unfavorable functional outcome after AIS and the outcome after rtPA treatment improved discrimination as well as reclassification (integrated discrimination improvement = 8.2% and 18.1%, continuous net reclassification improvement = 100.0% and 91.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma NE and PR3 are novel and independent predictors of 3-month functional outcomes after AIS. Plasma NE and PR3 also possess predictive value to identify patients with unfavorable outcomes after rtPA treatment. NE is probably an important mediator of the effects of neutrophils on stroke outcomes, which worth further investigation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-023-02758-1.