Early neurological deterioration in acute ischemic stroke patients after intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase predicts poor 3-month functional prognosis-data from the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitor of Acute Ischemic Stroke in China (TIMS-China)

Background We aimed to investigate the risk factors of early neurological deterioration (END) after intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and the relationship between END and poor 3-month functional outcomes. Methods Patients who accepted intravenous recombinant rt-PA were enrolled continuously. END was defined as an increase in National Institute of Health Stroke (NIHSS) score >= 4 points or death within 24 hours after intravenous thrombolysis. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score was recorded to evaluate the functional outcome of stroke, and the poor 3-month prognosis was defined as an mRS score >= of 3. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the risk factors of END. The relation between END and 3-month functional outcome was analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 1107 patients (mean age, 63.42 +/- 11.33 years; 673 males) were included in the final analysis, and 81(7.32%) patients had END. In multivariate analysis, the serum glucose level was significantly associated with END; the odds ratio was 1.10 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.18, p = 0.004). The multivariate logistic analysis showed END has a notable association with the poor 3-month functional recovery even after adjusting for confounding factors; the adjusted OR was 8.25 (95% CI 3.77 to 18.03, p < 0.0001). Conclusions The initial serum glucose level might be an independent risk factor of END, and END might predict a poor 3-month prognosis.