Objective: Cerebrovascular diseases, defined as stroke; are one of the diseases that cause serious mortality and morbidity. The secretion and produc-tion of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines after stroke has been seen in both human and experimental animal models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum TNF-α, IL-1β and TGF-β2 levels and the status of oxidative stress parameters in the pathogenesis of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

Material and Method: Totally 70 patients, 35 with ischemic stroke and 35 with hemorrhagic stroke, and 18 healthy individuals similar in age and gender with the patients were enrolled in the study. Serum TNF-α, IL-1β and TGF-β levels were determined using ELISA. Total antioxidant status (TAS) and total oxidant status (TOS) levels were measured using autoanalyzer for detecting oxidant-antioxidant state.

Results: Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and TGF-β2 were significantly lower in healthy control subjects, than those in patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. TAS levels were lower in both patient groups compared to controls. TOS levels were almost 8 times higher in patients according to controls.

Conclusion: It was suggested that TNF-α, IL-1β and TGF-β2 levels differed highly significantly between stroke patients and controls and these cytokines they may play important role in the stroke pathological process. Moreover, the results obtained from the study suggested that the oxidative stress may contribute to development of cerebrovascular disease. Long term follows up studies with more patients participation are needed to confirm and settle this issue.