Methods for differentiating ischemic stroke from hemorrhagic stroke

A method for differentiating ischemic stroke from hemorrhagic stroke in a patient and for treating said patient, or for selecting a patient suffering stroke for a therapy with an antithrombotic agent or with an agent capable of reducing blood pressure and for treating said patient, comprising

• a) determining the level of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in a sample of said patient in combination with the level of one or more markers selected from the group consisting of neurofilament medium polypeptide (NEF3), β-synuclein, carnosine synthase 1 (CARNS1) and retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4),
• b) comparing said levels with a corresponding reference value,
• wherein a level of GFAP in said sample lower than the corresponding reference value and a level of NEF3, β-synuclein, CARNS1 and/or RBP4 higher than the corresponding reference value is indicative that the patient suffers ischemic stroke, or is indicative that the patient is a candidate for a therapy with an antithrombotic agent, or
• wherein a level of GFAP in said sample higher than the reference value and a level of NEF3, β-synuclein, CARNS1 and/or RBP4 lower than the corresponding reference value is indicative that the patient suffers hemorrhagic stroke, or is indicative that the patient is a candidate for a therapy with an agent capable of reducing blood pressure, and
• c) administering an antithrombotic agent to the patient identified to suffer ischemic stroke or identified to be a candidate for a therapy with an antithrombotic agent, or administering an agent capable of reducing blood pressure to the patient identified to suffer hemorrhagic stroke or identified to be a candidate for a therapy with an agent capable of reducing blood pressure.