Cerebral small vessel disease was associated with the prognosis in ischemic stroke with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF), cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), and ischemic stroke. METHODS: Data were extracted from China's Third National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III), which registered 15,166 patients in China. A total of 12,180 ischemic stroke patients were included excluding those diagnosed with TIA or without MRI. Logistic regression was to explore the relationship between AF, CSVD, and poor functional outcomes at 12-month follow-up. Cox regression is to explore AF, CSVD, and stroke recurrence as well as all-cause mortality at 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: The average age was 62.40 ± 11.22 years old, and 8362 (68.65%) were men at baseline. Patients with AF had an increased risk of stroke recurrence and all-cause mortality at 12-month follow-up. Those with AF and CSVD imaging such as lacunes, white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and the presence of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) had an increased risk of poor prognosis. And those with both AF and CSVD burden had an increased risk of worse prognosis at 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Among Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke, those with AF were associated with a higher risk of 12-month mortality and stroke recurrence. When AF was combined with some CSVD imaging features such as lacunes, WMH, presence of CMBs or burdens, the 12-month poor prognosis worsened.