Role of visfatin in cerebrovascular events

Cerebrovascular event is a clinical status characterized with the symptoms and findings of focal cerebral function loss associated with vascular reasons. Despite the improvements in stroke treatment and prophylaxis, stroke-related deaths still come in third place in many countries. Among the risk factors of stroke, there are irreversible factors such as age, gender, race and family history as well as reversible ones such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, hyperlipidemia and obesity. Atherosclerosis is in the forefront of stroke pathogenesis. Inflammation plays a significant role in atherogenesis and atherosclerosis development. Visfatin is a recently found adipokin which has a relationship with obesity and diabetes and shows a proinflammatory effect. In this study, investigation of the relationships between visfatin and stroke, and other risk factors of stroke was aimed.Eighteen men and 19 women (37 patients in total) with stroke and 19 men and 11 women (30 healty subjects in total) were included in the study. In patient group, visfatin levels in admission and on the 5th day were examined, and in control groups, serum visfatin levels were inspected.Relationship between visfatin and lipid parameters, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, heart disease, grade of carotid and vertebral artery stenosis was assessed. Furthermore, relationship between visfatin and body-mass index and waist-hip ratio was assessed.Visfatin levels were lower in patient group (19.3±7.3 ng/mL) than control group (40.1±9.4 ng/mL) (p<0.05). Visfatin levels of patients in admission (19.3±7.3 ng/mL) were lower than the levels measured when they were discharged (27.4±10.7 ng/mL) (p<0.05). A significant correlation between visfatin and obesity parameters and stroke risk factors was not detected (p>0.05).It is assumed that visfatin has other effects besides proinflammatory ones because of the fact that visfatin levels decrease in cerebrovascular events, especially in acute periods. Moreover, we are of opinion that further and more comprehensive studies should be performed to mention positive effects of visfatin.