TNF and cardioembolic stroke: This is in line with a study on 293 patients with acute ischemic stroke that found highest serum TRAIL levels in SAO stroke and lowest in cardioembolic stroke.26 Data from animal studies indicate that TRAIL may contribute to the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke.27 Another TNF superfamily member, TRANCE (or TNFSF11), was most elevated in SAO stroke in the acute phase.