Association between Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB) and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) with the Severity of Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Acute ischemic stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. Platelet activation and inflammatory processes contribute significantly to the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke. Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB) plays a role in angiogenesis and neuroprotection, whereas Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) reflects thrombotic activity and inflammation. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB) levels and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) values with the severity of acute ischemic stroke.

Objectives: To determine the correlation between PDGF-BB levels and PLR values and the severity of acute ischemic stroke in patients.

Methods: This observational analytical study used a cross‑sectional design. Patients with acute ischemic stroke (onset 1–7 days) aged 18–80 years were recruited from Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo General Hospital and affiliated hospitals in Makassar. Serum PDGF‑BB levels were measured using ELISA, while PLR was calculated from absolute platelet and lymphocyte counts. Stroke severity was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman’s test. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the diagnostic performance of PDGF‑BB and PLR for stroke severity.

Results:  Forty‑one patients were included in the final analysis. PDGF‑BB levels showed a weak negative correlation with stroke severity (r = −0.311, p = 0.048), indicating that higher PDGF‑BB levels were associated with lower NIHSS scores. In contrast, PLR showed a moderate positive correlation with stroke severity (r = 0.436, p = 0.004). ROC analysis demonstrated that PLR had good discriminative ability for stroke severity (AUC = 0.821, sensitivity 75%, specificity 76.5%), whereas PDGF‑BB showed poor discriminative ability (AUC = 0.586).

Conclusions: PDGF‑BB levels were inversely correlated with stroke severity, while PLR was positively correlated with stroke severity. Compared with PDGF‑BB, PLR demonstrated better performance in distinguishing stroke severity and may serve as a practical biomarker in clinical settings. Further large‑scale studies are required to confirm these findings.