Leukoaraiosis and early neurological recovery after intravenous thrombolysis

Abstract

Background: Early neurological recovery after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is associated with favorable outcome after acute ischemic stroke. Leukoaraiosis, a marker of chronic ischemia, is a possible negative predictive factor of early recovery. However, its negative attenuating effects remain inadequately studied, leading to uncertainty in the prediction of outcomes after IVT. We aim to determine the influence of leukoaraiosis on early neurologic recovery.Methods: We included consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients who received IVT between 2007 and 2011. The following data were included: demographics, vascular risk factors, stroke type, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS..