We aimed to investigate how levels of potassium, alongside homocysteine, influence the outcomes for patients experiencing acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after receiving treatment with intravenous thrombolysis using rt-PA. To do this, we enlisted 426 patients and monitored their health closely, categorizing them by whether they experienced early neurological deterioration (END) and assessing their recovery using established scales.
Our findings revealed that both high levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and low levels of potassium were more common in patients who faced END or a poor recovery three months after treatment. In fact, patients with a higher Hcy level demonstrated significantly worse outcomes, while low potassium levels also hinted at increased risk.
While this research didn’t showcase a direct therapeutic effect from potassium itself, it suggests that monitoring potassium levels could be helpful in understanding the stroke prognosis. Overall, high Hcy and low potassium levels could serve as meaningful indicators for patient management in AIS treatments involving thrombolysis.