The objective of this paper was to investigate the association of the serum level of heme oxygenase-1 in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) with the risk of ICH. Heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) metabolizes heme into biliverdin, bilirubin, carbon monoxide, and iron, our recent study showed that serum level of HO-1 was increased in stroke patients, yet the association of HO-1 level with risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is poorly known. Forty patients with ICH and another 40 patients without ICH were recruited. The serum level of HO-1, total, and direct bilirubin were measured. The level of HO-1, serum total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin, as well as blood pressure were increased in ICH group than in control group (P < 0.001). The level of HO-1, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure had a significant difference between subgroups (P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that poor compliance to medicine for hypertension, the serum level of HO-1, and systolic blood pressure were associated with the prevalence of ICH. Blood pressure, serum HO-1, serum total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin were raised in patients with ICH who did not take medicine for hypertension compared with those who did, and increased in ICH patients in comparison with control group. Further investigation in multiple medical centers with large number of cohorts is warranted to verify these results.
Keywords: Bilirubin; Heme oxygenase-1; Hypertension; Intracerebral hemorrhage.