Takeaway
Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) can commonly occur following stroke. Elevated levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), an inflammatory marker, at hospital admission for acute ischemic stroke were shown to be associated with PSF at 6 months post-stroke, and may have predictive potential for PSF.
Why this matters
PSF is a common affective syndrome that occurs following stroke, with a debilitating impact on neurological function, quality of life and rehabilitation.
The pathogenesis of PSF is unclear and may be linked to systemic inflammation; hs-CRP is known to modulate stroke and fatigue pathophysiology.
This study demonstrated that elevated hs-CRP levels at hospital admission for stroke are associated with PSF occurrence, with a correlation between fatigue severity and higher hs-CRP level.
Elevated hs-CRP may therefore be a valuable predictive marker for PSF.