Role of leukocyte adhesion in clinical stroke.

Activated neutrophils appear to be directly involved in potentiating central nervous system ischemic injury. After initial endothelial adherence, neutrophils can produce capillary plugging with subsequent parenchymal infiltration and resulting cytotoxic neuronal injury. We used an in vitro leukocyte adherence assay to determine if adhesion is increased in acute stroke (within 72 h) or in patients at high risk for stroke (two or more risk factors) compared to matched controls.