Unfractionated heparin is associated with a lower rise of serum vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in acute ischemic stroke patients

We sought to assess the anti-inflammatory properties of unfractionated heparin (UFH) in patients with ischemic stroke treated within 24 h from the onset of symptoms. We studied prospectively 167 patients that received 1000 IU/h intravenous UFH ( n=70) or 300 mg oral aspirin ( n=97) at a mean treatment delay of 6.7 h. Repeated plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-4, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were compared in both groups using multivariate analyses. Whereas TNF-α and sICAM-1 decreased at 48 h, IL-6, IL-4, and sVCAM-1 increased compared with baseline values ( P