Objective Toinvestigatetherelationbetweenserumneuron-specificenolase(NSE), bilirubinandcerebraldysfunction,prognosisafterlarge-arteryatheroscleroticstroke.Methods According to the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST)criteria,all the 73 patients with large artery atherosclerotic stroke were divided into the test group (41 cases ) and control group (32 cases ) according to the elevated or normal levels of serum NSE and total bilirubin. At the first day of their hospitalization,the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)score was conducted,their serum NSE,bilirubin (total bilirubin,direct bilirubin,indirect bilirubin)levels were detected,and were compared with the reevaluation of 7 and 14 days of their hospitalization and reexamination results. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS)was use to assess the recovery of their neurological function at day 30 after onset/admission. The prognosis of the patients was followed up at 1 year after onset/admission. The Kaplan-Meier product-limit method was used to conduct the analysis of the good outcome rate,and the good outcomes of both groups/interlayers (different bilirubin and NSE levels)were tested with Log-rank test. Results (1)The NIHSS scores,the levels of serum bilirubin and NSE at day 1,7,and 14 in the test group were significantly higher than those of a control group (all P<0. 01). The levels of serum bilirubin and NSE at day 7 and 14 were lower than those at day 1. (2)The mRS score at day 30 between the test group and the control group was singnificantly different (Z =3. 286,P =0. 001). (3)At day 1,the CT detection rate of large area cerebral infarction of the test group was significantly higher than that of the control group (56. 1%[n=23]vs. 28. 1%[n=9]). There was significant difference (χ2 =5. 712,P=0. 017). (4)The analysis result of Kaplan-Meier showed that there was no significant difference in its good outcome no matter grouped by the test or by serum NSE level stratification of the patients on admission (the accurateχ2valueswere4.063and4.685respectively,P=0.044and0.030respectively).Conclusion Early high-level serum NSE and hyperbilirubinemia can be used as the indexes of early identification of poor prognosis in patients with large-artery atherosclerotic stroke.