AHA

ISC 2025: Blood test may identify stroke type pre-hospital, enabling rapid intervention

February 5, 2025

A study to be presented at the annual American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference shows that glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels are elevated in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) compared with those with ischemic stroke (IS) and stroke mimics. GFAP could thus be an effective prehospital test for assessing brain injury.

Study details: The study included 353 individuals (average age, 75; 47% women) who reached the emergency room within six hours of stroke symptom onset. Those with a history of brain tumors, recent strokes, or traumatic brain injuries were excluded. Blood samples were drawn before arrival at RKH Hospital Ludwigsburg in Germany and tested for GFAP levels using a portable analyzer.

Results: GFAP levels were nearly 7 times higher in patients with ICH compared with IS (208 pg/mL vs. 30 pg/mL) and more than 4 times higher than in stroke mimics (208 pg/mL vs. 48 pg/mL). GFAP levels below 30 pg/mL effectively ruled out ICH in patients with moderate to severe neurological deficits. Age-based cut-off points predicted ICH with 90% to 95% accuracy, with higher GFAP levels observed in patients on antithrombotics.

Source:

American Heart Association. (2025, January 30). Blood test may detect stroke type before hospital arrival, allowing faster treatment [News release]. American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2025 – Abstract 47. Retrieved from https://newsroom.heart.org/news/blood-test-may-detect-stroke-type-before-hospital-arrival-allowing-faster-treatment