## 3 Results
### Clinical, Functional, Imaging, and Immunologic Correlates of Ischemic Stroke in Children  
An analysis of the relationship between laboratory markers and the severity of clinical manifestations, as assessed by the PedNIHSS score, revealed a positive linear correlation between most markers and the size of the ischemic focus based on imaging results and electrophysiological abnormalities. However, an inverse linear correlation was observed for endoglin, and the S100B protein levels showed a distinct relationship with NSG (neuronal-specific gamma-enolase) and CT/MRI brain imaging findings in children (Table 2). A correlation analysis of the data obtained more than six months post-stroke, including laboratory markers, clinical evaluations, and imaging results, demonstrated a strong direct relationship with most of the studied markers, with the exception of the S100B protein (Table 3). These findings suggest that the selected factors used to assess the health status of children who had experienced a stroke were both demonstrative and clinically relevant. An analysis of the variables assessed in ischemic stroke in children revealed significant correlations between changes in immunoenzymatic markers and clinical-paraclinical parameters. Markers such as IL-6, VEGF, CNTF, APAs, ENG, and S-100B demonstrated correlations of varying intensity with the PedNIHSS score, imaging results, and electrophysiological findings. These correlations underscore the selective role of these enzymes in determining the disease severity, the size of the ischemic focus, and the prognosis for neurological sequelae. Notably, the peak VEGF levels were observed during the acute phase of the disease. A strong positive correlation was identified between the serum VEGF levels and disease severity, as assessed by the PedNIHSS score (r = 0.800). High correlations were also observed between the VEGF levels and infarct size, as determined by imaging (CT: r = 0.761; MRI: r = 0.801). These findings indicate that larger infarct volumes were associated with higher serum VEGF levels. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Parameters**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**NSG (at Birth)**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**EEG**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**CT**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**MRI**} & \multicolumn{2}{c}{**Amiel-Tison Scale (in n.n.)**} \\  & & & & & & **PedNIHSS (in Children** \\  & & & & & **Older than 3 Months)** \\ \hline
**VEGF**, & rxy & 0.710 & 0.744 & 0.761 & 0.801 & 0.800 \\
**pg/mL** & \(p\) & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{S100B protein, ng/mL} & rxy & 0.228 & 0.350 & 0.181 & 0.326 & 0.311 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & 0.100 & 0.010 & 0.195 & 0.017 & 0.023 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Endoglin, ng/mL} & rxy & \(-\)0.499 & \(-\)0.293 & \(-\)0.427 & \(-\)0.444 & \(-\)0.434 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & 0.000 & 0.033 & 0.001 & 0.001 & 0.001 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{APAs (Fosf IgG/antibodies IgM, U/mL)} & rxy & 0.496 & 0.334 & 0.532 & 0.552 & 0.553 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & 0.000 & 0.015 & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{IL-6, pg/mL} & rxy & 0.761 & 0.686 & 0.733 & 0.881 & 0.901 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{CNTF, pg/mL} & rxy & 0.644 & 0.368 & 0.537 & 0.543 & 0.532 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & 0.000 & 0.007 & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{NSG (at birth)} & rxy & 0.613 & 0.825 & 0.849 & 0.833 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{EEG} & rxy & & 0.740 & 0.767 & 0.807 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & & 0.000 & 0.000 & 0.000 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Brain CT} & rxy & & & 0.828 & 0.848 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & & & 0.000 & 0.000 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Brain MRI} & rxy & & & 0.983 \\ \cline{2-6}  & \(p\) & & & 0.000 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Correlational analysis of laboratory markers and imaging findings in the acute period of pediatric DALYs (correlation coefficient, rxy; significance level, \(p\)).