Association Between Enhanced Hydration Therapy and Improved Prognosis in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Who Were Treated With Thrombolytics: A Preliminary Study

Introduction: Hypovolemia affects the clinical outcomes and efficacy of thrombolytic therapies such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Hence, it plays an essential role in stroke management. Blood urea nitrogen-to-creatinine ratio (BCR) is an indicator of hypovolemia and is a promising area of further investigation. Methods: This study assessed the efficacy of enhanced hydration therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who had an elevated BCR and were receiving rt-PA treatment. The outcomes between patients with AIS who received enhanced hydration therapy (the study group) and those with AIS who received standard hydration therapy (the historical control group) were compared. Eligible patients received 0.9% NaCl intravenous infusion at a volume of 20 mL/kg body weight. Then, a bolus injection of one-third of the total volume was administered, and the remaining two-third was continuously infused over 8 h. Next, a maintenance infusion of 40–80 mL/h was administered within 16 h. The primary outcomes were 3-month functional recovery and early neurological deterioration. Results: This analysis included 20 patients with AIS and 170 historical controls. The study and historical control groups did not significantly differ in terms of demographic characteristics, baseline stroke severity, and biochemical parameters. However, the study group had a higher prevalence of hypertension than the historical control group. Further, the study group had significantly better 3-month functional outcomes than the historical control group (p = 0.018). In particular, 45.0% of patients in the study group and 21.2% in the control group achieved a modified Rankin Scale score of ≤ 2. Based on a subgroup analysis, patients with a lower stroke severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] scores of 4–10) in the study group exhibited significant improvements in functional outcomes. Meanwhile, patients with a higher stroke severity (NIHSS scores of 11–24) did not present with comparable benefits. The high stroke severity group had a higher complication rate than the low stroke severity group. However, the results did not significantly differ. Importantly, none of the patients who received enhanced hydration therapy developed adverse events. Conclusion: Enhanced hydration therapy can improve outcomes in patients with stroke who had an elevated BCR and who received rt-PA treatment. Further, it is not associated with significant complications.