Electrocardiogram Changes as an Independent Predictive Factor of Mortality in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke; a Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION: Various factors such as age and severity of the stroke have been deemed connected with risk of mortality in patients with acute ischemic brain stroke. The present study was performed with the aim of evaluating the role of electrocardiogram (ECG) changes in predicting the outcome of these patients. METHODS: In this cohort study, patients who had presented to the emergency department of a teaching hospital during 1 year and were diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke were evaluated. Demographic data and 12-lead ECG findings of the patients were gathered and their relationship with 1-year mortality was analyzed. RESULTS: Finally, 546 stroke patients with the mean age of 69.5±12.7 (24 – 100) years were studied (53.3% female). 82.7% of the studied patients had at least one of the evaluated ECG abnormalities. The most common ECG findings included normal sinus rhythm (27.3%), inverted T wave (21.2%), sinus tachycardia (11.7%), atrial fibrillation (AF) (11.5%), and pathologic Q wave (9.9%). In the end, 117 (20.9%) patients died during the 1-year follow-up. Frequencies of non-sinus rhythm (p < 0.0001), inverted T wave (p = 0.0001), AF rhythm (p<0.0001), pathologic Q (p<0.0001), ST segment changes (p = 0.011), and atrioventricular (AV) node block (p = 0.007) were significantly higher in patients who died. ECG changes increased the odds of 1-year mortality of these patients 4 times (Odds ratio = 4.05 with 95% CI: 2.39 - 6.87; p < 0.0001). Additionally, age over 60 years and having a history of cardiac diseases increased the odds of mortality 6 (95% CI: 1.4 – 27.9) and 1.5 (95% CI: 0.9 – 2.1) times, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of the present study, it seems that along with age and history of cardiac diseases, ECG changes can be considered as an independent predictive factor of mortality in patients with ischemic stroke.