Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Endostatin (ES) participate angiogenesis after cerebral ischemia. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) also play a crucial role in neovascularization and tissue repair after acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The investigators sought to compare the expression of VEGF and ES in serum and the circulating EPCs in patients after AIS with that of healthy control subjects. The investigators obtained peripheral blood and serum samples from study subjects. EPCs in blood samples from AIS patients and healthy controls were quantified by flow cytometry 1 day, 3 days, 5 days and 7 days after AIS. VEGF and ES were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay at the same time points. The relation between them and the relation of them to prognosis of such patients with acute ischemic stroke were assessed.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinical diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke
• Admission within 12 hours
• National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score 6-25

Exclusion Criteria:

• Lacunar infarction
• Cerebral hemorrhagic infarction
• Epilepsy or epileptic persons
• History of neurological diseases, myocardial infarction, renal and hepatic abnormalities and metabolic diseases
• Contraindications to antiplatelet treatments
• Died within the first week of hospitalization
• Serial blood samples could not be obtained

The patient group comprised twenty male and ten female. Their age ranged from 45 to 74 years. Locations of infarct, as evidenced by radiologic and neurologic symptoms or signs, included the territories of the middle cerebral artery (9 cases), the posterior cerebral artery (8 cases) the anterior cerebral artery (6 cases), vertebrobasilar area (5 cases), and watershed area (2 cases with cortical and subcortical low densities crossing typical vascular territories).