Objective To explore the relationship between inflammatory cytokine expression and outcome of acute stroke.Methods Eighty six acute stroke patients and 80 health people were recruited as the case and control group respectively.Peripheral blood CD3 +, CD4 +, CD8 +T cells were analyzed with flow cytometry;IL-10, IL-6, IFN-γin peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid ( CSF) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA); Outcome of acute stroke patients were evaluated with Na-tional Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)scoring in the 5th day.Results Contrast with the controls, the expression of CD3 +, CD4 +and CD8 +in case group were decresed( P <0.01), IFN-γexpression in peripheral blood of cases (within the 24th hour) were lower( P <0.01).IL-10 expression were higher( P=0.001).IL-10 was down-regulation of expression( P <0.01)at the 5th day compared with the 24th hours in peripheral blood, but up-regulation in CFS( P <0.01), and IFN-γwas down-regulation of expression ( P <0.01) at the 5th day.Conclusions IL-10 and IFN-γexpression changes lead to disorder of immune balance and are harmful for progressive acute stroke patients, Monitoring the change of IL-10,IL-6 and IFN-γare helpful for diagnosis and prognosis of acute stroke.