Systemic inflammation and stroke: aetiology, pathology and targets for therapy

There is growing evidence that systemic inflammation is involved in multiple aspects of stroke aetiology and pathology. In the present review, we provide an overview of these roles and, in particular, outline recent evidence that the underlying systemic inflammatory profile can critically alter the response to ischaemic brain injury. We also highlight the need for stroke models to more adequately account for the involvement of underlying systemic inflammation.