The pro‐inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α and IL‐6 are involved in the initiation or amplification of the inflammatory response (Spalletta et al., 2006), and higher levels of TNF‐α and IL‐6 have indicated the poor outcome of stroke (Tarkowski et al., 1995; Zaremba & Losy, 2001). Here, IL6 is linked to Stroke.