Prognostic Importance of Monitoring Serum Amyloid a Protein (saa) in Patients with Cerebral Infarction

∑ Serum amyloid A protein (SAA) is an acute-phase plasma protein, which increases in response to tissue damage. The aim of the study was to investigate SAA in the blood of patients with cerebral infarction. Sixty subjects were studied, including 45 patients with cerebral infarction and 15 controls. SAA was determined using ELISA method on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 after ischemic stroke onset. SAA was found to increase by day 3, which was followed by a decrease if no infectious complication occurred. The concentration of SAA was statistically significantly increased on days 1, 3, 7 and 14 (p < 0.05), however, the increase was greater in patients with severe clinical manifestations. A statistically significant SAA increase by day 14 was recorded in patients with an accompanying infectious process. The study showed the concentration of SAA to depend on the clinical severity of ischemic stroke. SAA was found to be a sensitive early indicator of possible infectious complications.