Synergistic Effect of Hypokalemia and Atrial Fibrillation on Prognosis in Patients with Stroke after Intravenous Thrombolysis

Background: The association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and the prognosis of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) is debated. Hypokalemia is highly prevalent in patients with AF. We aimed to investigate the effect of hypokalemia and AF on the prognosis of AIS patients following IVT. Methods: AIS patients undergoing IVT were enrolled and divided into four groups: normokalemia and non-AF, normokalemia and AF, hypokalemia and non-AF, hypokalemia and AF. Logistic regression was applied to analyze the impact of hypokalemia, AF, and their combination on the prognosis of patients. Results: The analysis included 567 patients, 184 with 3-month poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score of 3-6). Following adjustment of risk factors, hypokalemia and AF increased the risks for 3-month poor prognosis (adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR) = 4.97; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.99-12.44, P =.001), early neurological deterioration (END) (aOR=7.98; 95% CI, 3.55-17.95, P <.001), 1-year poor prognosis (aOR=5.05; 95% CI, 1.99-12.81, P =.001), 1-year all-cause death (aOR =6.95; 95% CI, 2.35-20.56, P <.001). Patients with normokalemia and AF merely increased the risk of 1-year all-cause death (aOR=2.69; 95% CI, 1.10-6.61, P=.013). Patients with hypokalemia and non-AF were not associated with any poor prognosis. There were combined and interactive effects of hypokalemia with AF on the 3-month poor prognosis (P for interaction =.039) and END (P for interaction=.005). Conclusion: Hypokalemia and AF synergistically increased the risk of near-term poor prognosis, END, long-term poor prognosis, and all-cause death of AIS patients following IVT.