ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A2144 MATRIX METALLOPROTEINASE-9 AS A PROGNOSTIC BIOMARKER IN ACUTE INTRACEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE

Abstract Background and aims Acute intracerebral hemorrhage is associated with high mortality and severe neurological deficits. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays a critical role in blood–brain barrier disruption, hematoma expansion, and secondary brain injury. Identifying reliable biochemical biomarkers linked to clinical severity may improve early prognosis and individualized management in hemorrhagic stroke. Methods This study included 50 patients admitted with acute intracerebral hemorrhage between 2023 and 2025. Neurological severity was assessed during the acute phase using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Blood plasma samples were collected, and MMP-9 levels were measured. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between plasma MMP-9 concentration and neurological severity. Correlation analysis was used to assess the prognostic significance of MMP-9 in relation to clinical status. Results The mean NIHSS score among the patients was 16.24 ± 7.5, reflecting predominantly moderate to severe neurological impairment. Plasma MMP-9 levels were markedly elevated, with a mean concentration of 246.9 ± 72.7 ng/ml. Correlation analysis revealed a very strong positive association between NIHSS scores and MMP-9 levels (r = 0.971, p < 0.001). Patients with more severe neurological deficits demonstrated substantially higher plasma MMP-9 concentrations. These findings indicate that increasing MMP-9 levels closely parallel the worsening of clinical severity in acute intracerebral hemorrhage. Conclusions Elevated plasma MMP-9 levels are strongly associated with neurological severity in acute intracerebral hemorrhage. MMP-9 may serve as a valuable prognostic biomarker for assessing disease severity and supporting individualized therapeutic decision-making. Conflict of interest Nothing to disclose