Background: Soluble LOX-1 (sLOX-1) and nitric oxide (NO) are potential biomarkers for vascular oxidative stress that
affect to atherosclerotic plaque. Atherosclerotic narrowing of the internal carotid artery is a well-known cause of acute
ischemic stroke (AIS).
Objective: To measure serums LOX-1and NO levels in acute ischemic stroke patients with or without ICA stenosis after 24-hour stroke symptom onset.
Material and Method: 118 patients with AIS within 24 hours-stroke symptom onset. Peripheral venous blood of all patients was collected for measuring blood sugar, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-c and LDL-c concentrations by standard laboratory techniques. Serum sLOX-1 and NO concentrations were measured by ELIZA kits. The patients were divided into two groups i.e. non-internal carotid artery stenosis (NICAS, n = 65) and internal carotidartery stenosis (ICAS, n = 53) by measuring internal carotid artery stenosis by ultrasound carotid duplex.
Results: Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between NICAS and ICAS except LDL-c levels. Serum NO level had significantly lower in ICAS (50.09+7.36 μmol/l) when compared with NICAS (54.85+11.81 μmol/l). sLOX-1 had significantly higher in ICAS (1.82+0.34 ng/ml) compared with NICAS (1.13+0.40 ng/ml).
Conclusion: There are higher sLOX-1 and lower NO levels in AIS patients with ICAS when comparing those with NICAS. These parameters may become the novel potential biomarkers for predicting risk to acute ischemic stroke.

Keywords: Acute ischemic stroke, sLOX-1, Nitric oxide, Atherosclerotic plaque