Acute Routine Leukocyte and Neutrophil Counts Are Predictive of Poststroke Recovery at 3 and 12 Months Poststroke: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Background and Aims. White blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts (NC) are common markers of inflammation and neurological stroke damage and could be expected to predict poststroke outcomes. Objective. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of early poststroke WBC and NC to predict cognition, mood, and disability outcomes at 3 and 12 months poststroke. Methods. Routine clinical analyses WBC and NC were collected at 3 time points in the first 4 days of hospitalization from 156 acute stroke patients. Correlations using hierarchical or ordinal regressions were explored between acute WBC and NC and functional recovery, depression, and cognition at 3 and 12 months poststroke, a..