Prognostic value of lymphocyte counts in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis

The primary aim of this study was to explore the correlation between lymphocyte counts and short-term clinical outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated with intravenous thrombolysis. Patients with AIS treated with intravenous thrombolysis were retrospectively enrolled. Lymphocyte counts were recorded on admission and at 24 hours after intravenous thrombolysis, and the modified Rankin scale score was utilized for assessing the functional outcomes at 3 months. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 214 patients with AIS were screened. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that lymphocytes on admission and at 24 hours after thrombolysis served as significant prognostic indicators of functional outcomes at 3 months. In the multivariable analysis, 24 hours lymphocyte after thrombolysis was independently correlated with an increased risk of experiencing poor outcomes, yielding an adjusted odds ratio of 0.255 (95% CI: 0.102-0.641; P = .004). Furthermore, restricted cubic splines demonstrated a linear association between the 24 hours lymphocyte and outcomes at 3 months in patients with AIS undergoing thrombolysis (P for nonlinearity = .569; P for linearity = .012). A decrease in lymphocyte counts serves as an independent predictor of adverse outcomes at 3 months in patients with AIS. Additionally, 24 hours lymphocyte after thrombolysis may represent a more reliable marker for patients with AIS receiving intravenous thrombolysis.