ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A2162 PLASMA MMP-9 AS A PROGNOSTIC BIOMARKER IN ACUTE HEMORRHAGIC STROKE

Abstract Background and aims Acute hemorrhagic stroke (AHS) is associated with high mortality and severe neurological disability. Despite advances in neuroimaging and intensive care, reliable biochemical markers for early assessment of disease severity and prognosis remain limited. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a key role in blood–brain barrier disruption, hematoma expansion, and secondary brain injury. To evaluate the association between plasma MMP-9 levels and neurological severity in patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke. Methods Fifty patients with acute hemorrhagic stroke admitted to the Tashkent Medical Academy clinic were prospectively evaluated. Neurological deficit was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Plasma MMP-9 concentrations were measured during the acute phase. Correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between MMP-9 levels and NIHSS scores. Results The mean NIHSS score was 16.24 ± 7.5, reflecting predominantly moderate-to-severe neurological impairment. Mean plasma MMP-9 concentration was 246.9 ± 72.7 ng/ml. A strong positive correlation was observed between NIHSS scores and MMP-9 levels (r = 0.97, p < 0.001), indicating a significant increase in MMP-9 concentration with increasing stroke severity. Conclusions Elevated plasma MMP-9 levels are strongly associated with neurological severity in acute hemorrhagic stroke. MMP-9 may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and could complement clinical scales such as NIHSS for early risk stratification and individualized treatment planning in AHS. Conflict of interest Nothing to disclose