Stroke constitutes the primary source of adult functional disability, exhibiting a paramount socioeconomic burden. Thus, it is of great importance that the prediction of stroke outcome be both prompt and accurate. Although modern neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques are accessible, easily available blood biomarkers reflecting underlying stroke-related pathophysiological processes, including glial and/or neuronal death, neuroendocrine responses, inflammation, increased oxidative stress, blood–brain barrier disruption, endothelial dysfunction, and hemostasis, are required in order to facilitate stroke prognosis. A literature search of two databases (MEDLINE and Science Direct) was conducted in order to trace all relevant studies published between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2021 that focused on the clinical utility of brain natriuretic peptide, glial fibrillary acidic protein, the red cell distribution width, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and aquaporin-4 as prognostic tools in stroke survivors. Only full-text articles published in English were included. Twenty-eight articles were identified and are included in this review. All studied blood-derived biomarkers proved to be valuable prognostic tools poststroke, the clinical implementation of which may accurately predict the survivors’ functional outcomes, thus significantly enhancing the rehabilitation efficiency of stroke patients. Along with already utilized clinical, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging biomarkers, a blood-derived multi-biomarker panel is proposed as a reasonable approach to enhance the predictive power of stroke prognostic models.

Stroke survivors are at increased risk of developing depression and cognitive decline. Thus, it is crucial for both clinicians and stroke survivors to be provided with timely and accurate prognostication of post-stroke depression (PSD) and post-stroke dementia (PSDem). Several biomarkers regarding stroke patients’ propensity to develop PSD and PSDem have been implemented so far, leukoaraiosis (LA) being among them. The purpose of the present study was to review all available work published within the last decade dealing with pre-existing LA as a predictor of depression (PSD) and cognitive dysfunction (cognitive impairment or PSDem) in stroke patients. A literature search of two databases (MEDLINE and Scopus) was conducted to identify all relevant studies published between 1 January 2012 and 25 June 2022 that dealt with the clinical utility of preexisting LA as a prognostic indicator of PSD and PSDem/cognitive impairment. Only full-text articles published in the English language were included. Thirty-four articles were traced and are included in the present review. LA burden, serving as a surrogate marker of “brain frailty” among stroke patients, appears to be able to offer significant information about the possibility of developing PSD or cognitive dysfunction. Determining the extent of pre-existing white matter abnormalities can properly guide decision making in acute stroke settings, as a greater degree of such lesioning is usually coupled with neuropsychiatric aftermaths, such as PSD and PSDem.

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Stroke constitutes a major cause of functional disability with increasing prevalence among adult individuals. Thus, it is of great importance for both clinicians and stroke survivors to be provided with a timely and accurate prognostication of functional outcome. A great number of biomarkers capable of yielding useful information regarding stroke patients’ recovery propensity have been evaluated so far with leukoaraiosis being among them. Literature research of two databases (MEDLINE and Scopus) was conducted to identify all relevant studies published between 1 January 2012 and 25 June 2022 that dealt with the clinical utility of a current leukoaraiosis as a prognostic indicator following stroke. Only full-text articles published in English language were included. Forty-nine articles have been traced and are included in the present review. Our findings highlight the prognostic value of leukoaraiosis in an acute stroke setting. The assessment of leukoaraiosis with visual rating scales in CT/MRI imaging appears to be able to reliably provide important insight into the recovery potential of stroke survivors, thus significantly enhancing stroke management. Yielding additional information regarding both short- and long-term functional outcome, motor recovery capacity, hemorrhagic transformation, as well as early neurological deterioration following stroke, leukoaraiosis may serve as a valuable prognostic marker poststroke. Thus, leukoaraiosis represents a powerful prognostic tool, the clinical implementation of which is expected to significantly facilitate the individualized management of stroke patients.

Stroke represents a major cause of mortality and long-term disability among adult populations, leaving a devastating socioeconomic impact globally. Clinical manifestation of stroke is characterized by great diversity, ranging from minor disability to considerable neurological impairment interfering with activities of daily living and even death. Prognostic ambiguity has stimulated the interest for implementing stroke recovery biomarkers, including those provided by structural neuroimaging techniques, i.e., diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography for the study of white matter (WM) integrity. Considering the necessity of prompt and accurate prognosis in stroke survivors along with the potential capacity of DTI as a relevant imaging biomarker, the purpose of our study was to review the pertinent literature published within the last decade regarding DTI as a prognostic tool for recovery in acute and hyperacute stroke. We conducted a thorough literature search in two databases (MEDLINE and Science Direct) in order to trace all relevant studies published between 1 January 2012 and 16 March 2022 using predefined terms as key words. Only full-text human studies published in the English language were included. Forty-four studies were identified and are included in this review. We present main findings and by describing several methodological issues, we highlight shortcomings and gaps in the current literature so that research priorities for future research can be outlined. Our review suggests that DTI can track longitudinal changes and identify prognostic correlates in acute and hyperacute stroke patients.