The Correlation between Atrial Fibrillation and Prognosis and Hemorrhagic Transformation

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Cardiology
• Stroke Medicine

Background:

• Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a known risk factor for hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) receiving thrombolysis.
• The prognostic implications of AF in this patient population remain a subject of debate and require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relationship between AF and the occurrence of HT.
• To assess the impact of AF on the prognosis of patients with AIS treated with thrombolysis.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 184 patients with AIS who received thrombolysis was analyzed.
• Patients were categorized into HT and non-HT groups based on imaging; prognosis was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 and 6 months.
• Demographic data, clinical characteristics, and treatment details were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Baseline differences between HT and non-HT groups included age, hyperlipidemia, AF, NIHSS, and anticoagulant use (p < 0.05).
• Only the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was significantly associated with prognosis at 3 and 6 months (p < 0.001).
• AF was associated with older age, higher NIHSS scores, and less hyperlipidemia at baseline (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• This study found no significant correlation between AF and prognosis in AIS patients treated with thrombolysis.
• While AF showed some association with HT, it did not independently predict long-term outcomes.
• Prognosis trends were similar for patients with and without AF, underscoring the importance of stroke severity (NIHSS) as a prognostic indicator.