ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A1698 DIAGNOSTIC AND PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF MMP-9 LEVELS IN THE HYPERACUTE PHASE OF HEMORRHAGIC STROKE

Abstract Background and aims Investigating the diagnostic and prognostic value of MMP-9 levels in the hyperacute-phase of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in relation to clinical severity scales. Methods Seventy patients with hemorrhagic stroke were enrolled. Stroke severity was assessed using the NIHSS and the GCS. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (n = 45) with arterial hypertension (AH) + ICH, and Group II (n = 25) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) + ICH. Statistical analysis included Student’s t-test, Pearson correlation, and Receiver Operating Characteristic ROC curve analysis with area under the curve (AUC). Results In Group I, MMP-9 levels were 290.6 ± 18.4 ng/mL in females and 252.2 ± 16.7 ng/mL in males (p = 0.032). In Group II, females had 285.0 ± 17.9 ng/mL versus 218.7 ± 15.3 ng/mL in males (p = 0.018). MMP-9 correlated positively with NIHSS (r = 0.64; p < 0.001), indicating that higher MMP-9 is associated with greater neurological deficit; negatively with GCS (r = –0.58; p < 0.001), reflecting that increased MMP-9 is linked to decreased consciousness. ROC analysis demonstrated good-diagnostic performance for predicting severe HS, with an AUC of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.73–0.90). At a cutoff of 270 ng/mL, sensitivity was 78%, specificity 75%. Conclusions MMP-9 levels are significantly elevated in the hyperacute phase of hemorrhagic stroke. MMP-9 correlates positively with NIHSS and negatively with GCS. ROC analysis confirms that MMP-9 is a reliable biomarker for early identification and prognosis of severe ICH. Conflict of interest nothing to disclose