Nonatrial Fibrillation was Associated With Early Neurological Improvement After Intravenous Thrombolysis With rt-PA in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND

Intravenous thrombolysis is the only approved pharmacological treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, but the immediate response to thrombolysis varies by patient.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the factors associated with early neurological improvement (ENI) after the administration of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) treatment to AIS patients within 4.5 hours of onset.

METHODS

Demographics, onset to treatment time, risk factors, and clinical and laboratory data of 209 AIS patients undergoing intravenous rt-PA therapy at a Chinese hospital between January 2013 and August 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was recorded before thrombolytic therapy, 24 hours after the treatment, and 7 days after the treatment to evaluate the recovery of neurological function. ENI was defined as a ≥4-point decrease in NIHSS score compared with baseline or a score of 0 or 1 at 24 hours and 7 days. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 209 AIS patients treated by intravenous thrombolysis with rt-PA, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly lower (P<0.05) in patients with ENI. The multivariable analysis showed that non-atrial fibrillation (AF) was independently associated with ENI at 24 hours and 7 days after thrombolysis. An overall 40.3% non-AF patients had ENI 24 hours after thrombolysis (odds ratio=2.501, 95% confidence interval: 1.204-5.198; P=0.014), and 65.9% non-AF patients had ENI 7 days after thrombolysis (odds ratio=2.953, 95% confidence interval: 1.434-6.081; P=0.003). Onset to treatment time was an independent predictor (P<0.05) for ENI at 7 days after thrombolysis. The NIHSS score and diastolic blood pressure on admission were associated with symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhagic transformation.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-AF was independently associated with ENI after intravenous thrombolysis in AIS patients, but non-AF was not associated with the occurrence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Onset to treatment time was an independent predictor of ENI at 7 days after thrombolysis in AIS patients.