Abstract
BACKGROUND: Rapid diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains challenging, and reliable biomarkers are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small noncoding regulatory RNA molecules present in the serum, plasma, and saliva. miRNAs are considered to be sensitive biomarkers of tissue damage because of their high stability and relative tissue specificity. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the correlation between miRNAs and infarct volume in patients with AIS, to provide a basis for predicting ischemic stroke onset and improving prognosis in the clinic, among others. METHODS: From the search of published Chinese and English literature in PubMed, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang databases up to July 1, 2023, we performed a descriptive summary of the included studies. And use of 12 quality evaluation items and Cochrane Risk of Bias tool to assess the quality of included studies. RESULTS: This systematic review included 17 studies with articles involving 1443 cases were included in the data extraction for a total of 18 miRNA indicators. Among them, 9 indicators were positively associated with infarct volume in patients with AIS, including endothelial microvesicles-miR-155, miR-146b, miR-181c, miR-182, miR-34a, miR-92a, miR-122-5p, miR-451a, and miR-409-3P. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that miRNA can be used as a biomarker for AIS, reflecting the severity of neurological deficits in this patient and providing a basis for clinical judgement of the patient's prognosis.