Lorente L, et al. - The existence of a correlation between serum Caspase-cleaved cytokeratin (CCCK)-18 levels and mortality was evaluated by the authors in patients with severe malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMCAI). This first series reporting data on serum CCCK-18 levels in ischemic stroke patients demonstrated that non-surviving severe MMCAI patients had higher serum CCCK-18 levels compared to surviving patients. A connection was disclosed between high serum CCCK-18 levels and MMCAI patients mortality.