Objective  To investigate the correlations of serum Sestrin2 level with oxidative stress response and early deterioration of neurological function in patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI).

  Methods  A total of 132 ACI patients were selected and divided into deterioration group (n=31) and non-deterioration group (n=101) according to occurrence of early deterioration of neurological function. The general information, oxidative stress indexessuperoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and serum Sestrin2 level were compared between the two groups.

  Results  The incidence of early deterioration of neurological function was 23.48% (31/132) in this study. The time from onset to treatment was longer, score of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), MDA and Sestrin2 levels in the deterioration group were significantly higher than those in the non-deterioration group, and the levels of SOD and GSH were significantly lower than those in the non-deterioration group (P < 0.05). The serum Sestrin2 was significantly negatively correlated with SOD and GSH levels (r=-0.367, - 0.452, P=0.001, 0.001), and was significantly positively correlated with MDA level (r=0.370, P=0.001). The longer time from onset to treatment and the higher levels of MDA and Sestrin2 were the risk factors of early deterioration of neurological function in patients with ACI (P < 0.05), while the higher levels of SOD and GSH were the protective factors of early deterioration of neurological function in patients with ACI (P < 0.05). The serum Sestrin2 could be used to predict the risk of early deterioration of neurological function in patients with ACI, and the area under the curve was 0.812 (95%CI, 0.721 to 0.903).

  Conclusion  The serum Sestrin2 level is closely related to oxidative stress response and early deterioration of neurological function in patients with ACI, which may affect the neurological function of patients by regulating the oxidative stress response.