Circulating microRNA-219 in stroke: Lack associations with clinical parameters and post-stroke epilepsy risk

Abstract

Background: Post-stroke epilepsy (PSE) is a significant complication in stroke survivors, yet early diagnostic biomarkers remain unclear. This study investigated whether circulating microRNA-219 (miR-219) could serve as a reliable biomarker for early detection of PSE. Methods: Serum samples (2 mL) were collected from 40 stroke patients and 20 healthy controls. Circulating miR-219 was measured using real-time PCR. The predictive performance of miR-219 and the PoSERS model for PSE was evaluated using ROC analysis. Demographic and clinical information, including age, gender, stroke subtype, and lesion location, was recorded. Results: Significant differences were observed in stroke subtype (ischemic vs. hemorrhagic) and lesion location (cortical vs. subcortical) between patients with and without PSE (P < 0.05). Triglyceride (TG), HbA1C, and cholesterol levels also differed significantly (P < 0.05). Circulating miR-219 was significantly elevated in stroke patients compared to controls (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences in miR-219 levels were observed between patients with and without PSE. Similar trends were observed when comparing survivors vs. non-survivors, ischemic vs. hemorrhagic stroke, and cortical vs. subcortical lesions. MiR-219 had no predictive value for PSE (AUC=0.49), unlike the PoSERS model (AUC=0.72). Conclusions: Although a significant difference in circulating miR-219 was observed between stroke patients and healthy subjects, it cannot serve as a biomarker to predict the development of PSE. Given the limited sample size, the predictive potential of miR-219 should be confirmed in future studies with larger sample sizes.