The frontal QRS-T angle in predicting prognosis in acute ischemic stroke

Factors determining the prognosis of ischemic stroke include clinical, laboratory, and demographic variables, such as initial neurological status, brain imaging findings, blood glucose levels, inflammatory markers, and early treatment response. This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of the frontal QRS-T angle in predicting prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

This prospective, single-center, observational prognostic value study was conducted at the Emergency Department of the University of Health Sciences Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital. Adult patients presenting to the emergency department with stroke symptoms between 1 September 2022, and 1 September 2023, were included. The study population consisted of patients with ischemic stroke confirmed by radiological and clinical evaluations. Demographic data, comorbidities, electrocardiography parameters, laboratory results, affected arteries and hemispheres, and in-hospital mortality were recorded.

The study involved the evaluation of 149 patients presenting to the emergency department with stroke symptoms, of whom 40.3% were women, with a median age of 73 years. The in-hospital mortality rate was 8.7%. The most common comorbidity was hypertension (64%). The median frontal QRS-T angle was 50.5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 19.0-122.5) in the survival group and 90 (IQR: 58-133) in the mortality group (p = 0.069, Mann-Whitney U test). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age ( >68, odds ratio [OR]: 8.92), heart rate ( >110, OR: 19.8), RR interval ( <525 ms, OR: 38.7), P interval ( <94 ms, OR: 9.36), QTcB interval ( >467 ms, OR: 7.27), and atrial fibrillation (OR: 8.31) significantly increased the risk of mortality.

According to the findings of this study, no significant difference was observed in the frontal QRS-T angle between survivors and non-survivors among patients with acute ischemic stroke.