Research on level of serum matrix mataloproteinase-3 in cerebral infarction patients with differentTOAST classifications

Objective To explore the relationship among levels of serum matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3),cerebral infarction of different TOAST classifications and the prognosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction(CI). Methods The levels of MMP-3 were detected by ELISA,which contained 82 cerebral infarction patients(CI group) and 32 healthful donors(NC group).According to TOAST classifications,CI group was composed of 34 cases of small artery occlusion,15 cases of aorta atherosclerosis,10 cases of cardiac embolism,1 case of definite pathogen and 22 cases of unknown pathogens.Levels of MMP-3 were compared between groups.Results The level of MMP-3 in CI group was significantly higher than NC group in the first day after onset of CI(P0.01).The first after CI,the levels of MMP-3 in cardiac embolism group and large artery arteriosclerosis group(LAA group) were significantly higher than lacunar infarction group(P0.01).The level of serum MMP-3 in nonprogressed CI patients was significantly lower than progressed CI ion patients(P0.01).Conclusion The serum MMP-3 levels increase in patients with acute cerebral infarction.The changes of the serum MMP-3 levels in each TOAST subtype group are different.The LAA group increases significantly,which support the different views of the etiology of cerebral infarction subtypes.The serum MMP-3 plays an important role in the onset of cerebral infarction of the LAA type.