RNA as a stroke biomarker

Abstract

A biomarker to aid in the diagnosis of ischemic stroke and its causes would be of value in acute clinical practice. It could have applications to aid in acute stroke treatment decisions for tissue plasminogen activator and/or the triage to endovascular therapy. A stroke biomarker may also be useful to identify stroke etiology and guide stroke prevention treatments. This review provides an overview of RNA as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and assessment of ischemic stroke. Topics addressed include RNA to identify acute ischemic stroke; RNA to identify transient ischemic attack; RNA to predict large vessel, cardioembolic and small vessel cause of stroke; and RNA to predict risk of tissue plasminogen activator related hemorrhagic transformation. Emerging methods to measure RNA as a point-of-care assay include microfluidics sorting and electrochemical sensors.