Serum bilirubin after acute ischemic stroke is associated with stroke severity.

Elevated serum bilirubin was prevalent in the acute ischemic stroke (AIS), which was induced in response to oxidative stress and could display the intensity of oxidative stress. As more severe stroke is linked with higher level of oxidative stress, we hypothesized that bilirubin may be associated with the severity of stroke. In this study, bilirubin and other biochemical indexes were measured in 531 enrolled patients with AIS, and NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores were assessed simultaneous with blood collection.