Inflammatory biomarkers in patients with acute brain injuries

Acute brain injury as a result of stroke and traumatic brain injury are leading causes of disability and mortality. Methods to improve patient diagnosis and prognosis for these common conditions are needed. Molecular biomarkers are one method that has been evaluated to diagnose acute brain injury, determine its cause, and predict outcomes and response to therapy. Markers that have been identified include a variety of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids that relate to the pathophysiology of acute brain injury. Inflammation plays an important role in acute brain injury and several molecules involved in inflammation have been identified as biomarkers. However, biomarkers for acute brain injury is a developing field that requires additional study is to identify markers for use in clinical practice. These studies will include evaluating a larger number of candidate markers using proteomic, genomic, metabolomic, and lipidomic approaches. Additionally, novel markers such as microRNA and the use of panels that integrate multiple markers may also prove to be valuable tools in acute brain injury. In this chapter, we provide a summary of identified inflammatory biomarkers in acute brain injury, and how these biomarkers could add to patient care.