Neurol Res. 2026 Mar 8:1-10. doi: 10.1080/01616412.2026.2641139. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effect of serum cholinesterase (CHE) levels on early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with mild anterior circulation stroke.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case-control study in the Neurology Department of Jiangsu Taizhou People’s Hospital from July 2018 to June 2023. A total of 334 patients with mild anterior circulation ischemic stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] ≤5 points) admitted within 24 h were included. Patients were classified into an END group and a non-END group according to the occurrence of END, and binary logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across serum CHE quintiles.
RESULTS: A statistically significant difference and a clear linear trend (p < 0.05) were identified after adjusting for multiple confounding factors, indicating a protective effect of elevated CHE levels against END. Age stratified analysis was limited by reduced sample sizes and insufficient statistical power to detect potential subgroup differences.
CONCLUSION: In this retrospective case-control study, the END group had a significantly higher incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and lower CHE levels than the non-END group. The findings indicate an inverse association between CHE levels and the risk of END.
PMID:41795817 | DOI:10.1080/01616412.2026.2641139
