H19 and miR-29b levels are correlated with the National Institute of Health Stroke Score
To further elucidate the clinical significance of H19 and miR-29b in patients with stroke, we analysed the correlation of clinical parameters with H19 and miR-29b expression. H19 levels were positively correlated with the NIHSS score at admission (Figure 1C, r = 0.468, P= 0.002). However, miR-29b levels were negatively correlated with the NIHSS scores (Figure 1B; r = -0.491, P < 0.001). Furthermore, plasma IL-1β, TNF-α, and MMP-9 levels were significantly higher in patients with acute ischemic stroke than in healthy controls (Figure 1E, P <0.05). This further suggested that H19 and miR-29b in neutrophils are critically involved in ischemic stroke.