This individual patient data meta-analysis examined blood levels of neurofilament light chain, known as NfL, in adults within 30 days after an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. The study included 1,985 stroke patients, 88 TIA patients, and 799 healthy controls to compare biomarker levels against outcomes measured at three months.
The researchers found that NfL levels were significantly higher in stroke patients compared to healthy controls. Within the first week, these levels increased progressively in patients who suffered a stroke. Higher levels were linked to larger areas of brain damage and a greater risk of bleeding in the brain.
At the three-month follow-up, patients with higher NfL levels faced a greater risk of disability, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score above 2. Those with elevated markers also had a higher risk of death. The study suggests that measuring these blood levels early could help identify patients at risk for poor recovery.
No safety concerns were reported because the blood test itself carries no known risks. However, this is a biomarker study, not a trial of a new treatment. Readers should understand that high NfL levels are a sign of existing brain injury rather than a cause of it.