Serum soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis is a potential biomarker for outcome prediction of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

• Serum sTWEAK levels are strongly correlated with hemorrhagic severity after aSAH. • Serum sTWEAK levels are intimately related to brain inflammation after aSAH. • Serum sTWEAK levels are markedly raised in aSAH patients with a 6-month poor outcome. • Serum sTWEAK levels are independently associated with a 6-month poor outcome of aSAH patients. • Serum sTWEAK levels display a high predictive ability for a 6-month poor outcome following aSAH. Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) might contribute to brain inflammation after acute brain injury. The current study was designed to investigate whether serum soluble TWEAK (sTWEAK) can serve as a potential biomarker for functional outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). In this single-center prospective, observational study, admission serum sTWEAK concentrations were quantified among 112 aSAH patients. Impact of serum sTWEAK concentrations on a poor outcome (Glasgow outcome scale score 1–3) at 6 months after stroke onset was determined using multivariate analysis. Admission serum sTWEAK concentrations were intimately correlated with serum C-reactive protein concentrations, World Federation of Neurological Surgeons scores and modified Fisher scores. A total of 38 patients (33.9%) had a poor outcome at post-hemorrhagic 6 months. Admission serum sTWEAK concentrations were substantially higher in patients with a poor outcome than in the other remainders. Under receiver operating characteristic curve, serum sTWEAK concentrations significantly distinguished a poor outcome. Serum sTWEAK concentrations > 3.23 ng/ml discriminated the risk of a poor outcome with medium-high sensitivity and specificity and independently predicted a poor outcome. Serum sTWEAK, in close correlation with inflammation and hemorrhagic severity, might represent a potential biomarker for predicting clinical outcome after aSAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]