During a stroke, a series of biochemical and metabolic changes occur which eventually lead to the death of cells by necrosis or apoptosis. This is a multi-stage process involving oxidative stress and an inflammatory response from the first signs of occlusion of a blood vessel until the late stages of regeneration and healing of ischemic tissues. The purpose of the research was to assess the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α in the blood serum of patients with ischemic stroke (AIS) and to investigate their role as new markers in predicting functional prognosis after thrombolytic therapy. The researches have shown that the concentrations of the measured biomarkers were higher compared to the control group. Serum levels of IL-6 and THF-α before the initiation of intravenous thrombolysis were lower in the subgroup of patients with a favourable functional result (mRS: 0–2 pts) compared to the group of patients with an unfavourable functional result (mRS: 3–6 pts). A positive correlation was found between the concentration of IL-6 and TNF-α in patients with AIS during <4.5 h and on one day after the onset of stroke, which means that the concentration of IL-6 increases with the increase in TNF-α concentration. It has also been shown that higher levels of IL-6 in the acute phase of stroke and on the first and seventh days, and TNF-α during onset, were associated with poorer early and late prognosis in patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis. A relationship was found between the level of IL-6 and TNF-α in the subacute AIS and the severity of the neurological deficit. It has been shown that the investigated biomarkers may be a prognostic factor in the treatment of thrombolytic AIS.

One of the most common neurological disorders involving oxidative stress is stroke. During a stroke, the balance of redox potential in the cell is disturbed, and, consequently, protein oxidation or other intracellular damage occurs, ultimately leading to apoptosis. The pineal gland hormone, melatonin, is one of the non-enzymatic antioxidants. It not only modulates the perianal rhythm but also has anti-inflammatory properties and protects against stress-induced changes. The focus of this research was to evaluate the concentration of the carbonyl groups and melatonin metabolite in time in patients with acute ischemic stroke that were treated with intravenous thrombolysis. This included a comparison of the functional status of patients assessed according to neurological scales with the control sample comprising healthy people. The studies showed that the serum concentrations of carbonyl groups, which were elevated in patients with ischemic stroke (AIS) in comparison to the control samples, had an impact on the patients’ outcome. A urine concentration of the melatonin metabolite, which was lower in patients than controls, was related to functional status after 24 h from cerebral thrombolysis. It shows that determination of carbonyl groups at different time intervals may be an important potential marker of protein damage in patients with AIS treated with cerebral thrombolysis, and that impaired melatonin metabolism induces a low antioxidant protection. Thus, due to the neuroprotective effects of melatonin, attention should also be paid to the design and conduct of clinical trials and hormone supplementation in AIS patients to understand the interactions between exogenous melatonin and its endogenous rhythm, as well as how these relationships may affect patient outcomes.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases affecting elderly people. Considering the gap in the literature on melatonin and adipokine levels in PD patients at various stages of the disease, we conducted a study to investigate the levels of selected parameters in PD patients at the disease’s early (ES) and advanced (AS) stages. Melatonin, leptin, adiponectin, and resistin concentrations were measured in the blood serum of 20 PD patients without dyskinesia (ES), 24 PD patients with dyskinesia (AS), and 20 healthy volunteers as a control group (CG). The data were analyzed using ANOVA. Melatonin was significantly lower in ES (p < 0.05) and higher in AS patients (p < 0.05) compared to CG. The level of leptin was increased both in ES (p < 0.001) and AS (p < 0.001) versus CG, while resistin was increased only in patients with dyskinesia (p < 0.05). Higher melatonin (p < 0.001) and resistin (p < 0.05) and lower leptin (p < 0.05) levels were found in AS versus ES. The main findings of the study include the changes in inflammatory markers’ levels during PD and a surprising increase in melatonin level in dyskinesia patients. Further research is necessary, which will be aimed at modulating the secretion of melatonin and adipokines as a treatment target for PD.

One of the key response mechanisms to brain damage, that results in neurological symptoms, is the inflammatory response. It triggers processes that exacerbate neurological damage and create the right environment for the subsequent repair of damaged tissues. RANTES (Regulated upon Activation, Normal T Cell Expressed and Presumably Secreted) chemokine(C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) is one of the chemokines that may have a dual role in stroke progression involving aggravating neuronal damage and playing an important role in angiogenesis and endothelial repair. This study concerned patients with ischemic stroke (AIS), whose CCL5 concentration was measured at various time intervals and was compared with the control group. In addition, the effect of this biomarker on neurological severity and functional prognosis was investigated. Compared to healthy patients, a higher concentration of this chemokine was demonstrated in less than 4.5 h, 24 h and on the seventh day. Differences in CCL5 levels were found to be dependent on the degree of disability and functional status assessed according to neurological scales (modified Rankin Scale, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale). In addition, differences between various subtypes of stroke were demonstrated, and an increase in CCL5 concentration was proven to be a negative predictor of mortality in patients with AIS. The deleterious effect of CCL5 in the acute phase of stroke and the positive correlation between the tested biomarkers of inflammation were also confirmed.

Previous studies have shown the role of uric acid in triggering inflammatory reactions through its influence on a large group of cytokines. Therefore, searching for possible relationships between treating hyperuricemia and the course of inflammatory processes may provide valuable knowledge for clinical practice. The study was designed to determine the relationship between uric acid levels and interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1-beta (IL-1 beta) levels determined in older adults during hospitalization. Patients were assigned to different study groups based on the uric acid levels and effectiveness, lack of treatment, or recognition of hyperuricemia. Classical variance analysis methods or nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. The analysis showed different correlations between the concentration of uric acid and the mentioned interleukins and designated study groups. In the case of properly treated hyperuricemia, a weak negative correlation is observed between the level of uric acid and interleukin IL-1β. There is a statistically significant positive correlation between the value of uric acid and interleukins IL-6 and IL-1β in people with untreated hyperuricemia and, to a lesser extent, in people with normal uric acid levels. The study’s results suggest that effective treatment may be associated with appropriate control of uric acid concentration and modulation of the inflammatory response. However, due to several measurement limitations, further research is warranted to better elucidate these associations.

Background/Objectives: The concentration of uric acid in the body of older adults may have various effects. Due to the multidirectional influence on metabolism, its significance in the daily functioning of older persons remains unclear. The present investigation explored whether serum uric acid levels are associated with scores on standard geriatric assessment scales in hospitalized older adults. Methods: In total, 77 patients admitted to the hospital for the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment were recruited and classified into three groups: successfully treated for hyperuricemia, untreated or unsuccessfully treated with elevated uric acid levels, and untreated controls having normal uric acid levels. The analysis considered the relationship between the concentration of uric acid in patients from different study groups and the assigned classes defined by the ranges of the questionnaires used for the study. Results: Significant differences were shown in the distribution of classes defined by Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III) and the MNA questionnaires concerning the study groups. Moreover, significant differences were confirmed when using compartmentalization based only on the screening test results for the ACE-III, the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). For ACE-III, a lower percentage of people with probable dementia was observed in the control group (34.5%) than in the group with elevated uric acid values (78.3%). Conclusions: Although the mechanisms related to uric acid’s influence on older people’s functioning require further research, the available evidence indicates a negative impact of elevated uric acid levels on cognitive functions and the nutritional status of older individuals.