| Summary: | Background Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a disease associated with a high morbidity and mortality and treatment options for the condition are limited. Even though an ICH event usually comes as a surprise to the affected individual, pathogenetic processes often have occurred before the sudden ICH event and may have preceded disease onset by years. It is possible that individuals at increased risk of ICH could be identified using biomarkers, for example markers of hemostasis and fibrinolysis. Even if these biomarkers are not part of the causal chain, they could be used as risk indicators to better define high-risk groups. Another approach could be to measure already established risk markers for ICH, such as self-reported alcohol consumption, using a blood biomarker. That could increase measurement reliability and consequently the accuracy of the estimates of ICH risk. Aims The aim of this thesis was to investigate potential biomarkers and risk of ICH. Specific aims were to evaluate the associations between factor XII, D-dimer, von Willebrand factor (VWF), ABO blood groups with focus on blood group O, phosphatidylethanol (PEth), and risk of ICH. Methods In our first study, aiming to investigate the association between factor XII and risk of hemorrhagic stroke, we followed participants of the health examination northern Sweden MONItoring trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease (MONICA) performed in 1994 as a cohort until 2011. Factor XII concentrations were measured in blood samples drawn at the baseline health examination where the participants also answered a questionnaire regarding lifestyle factors and medical history. Diagnosis codes from the National Patient Register and the Swedish Cause of Death Register were used to find cases of hemorrhagic stroke, defined as ICH or subarachnoid hemorrhage. In the subsequent studies, the associations between biomarkers (factor XII, D-dimer, VWF, ABO blood groups, and PEth) and risk of ICH were investigated using a matched, nested case-referent design ...
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