Torres-Aguila NP, Carrera C, Giese AK, et al. - Among 2,064 (Discovery) and 407 (Replication) patients, researchers sought to find genetic risk factors correlated with leukocyte counts during the acute phase of the stroke. The study sample consisted of ischemic stroke patients with leukocyte counts data during the first 24 hours. Genome-wide association study and gene expression studies have been conducted. The authors discover the first locus in ischemic stroke associated with leukocyte counts, often associated with acute results. Genetic analysis of acute endophenotypes may be helpful in finding the genetic factors related to the outcome of the stroke. The results indicated that immune cells are modulated differently in stroke relative to healthy conditions.