The clock out of sync: Insights into circadian disruption in wake-up vs non-wake-up stroke.

BACKGROUND: Wake-up stroke (WUS), an ischemic stroke occurring during sleep, accounts for 15-25% of acute ischemic strokes (AIS) cases and poses unique therapeutic challenges due to an unknown onset time. Circadian rhythms, regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), influence various cardiovascular and metabolic processes, and disruptions of these rhythms have been implicated in stroke pathogenesis. OBJECTIVES: This study explored whether WUS patients exhibit distinct circadian abnormalitie...