Prior Statin Use May Be Associated With Improved Stroke Outcome After Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Abstract

Background and Purpose— Statins may exert some neuroprotection, because use before stroke onset has been related to better outcome and reduced mortality. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether patients who receive tissue plasminogen activator have better outcome when statins were taken before stroke. Methods— We evaluated 145 patients with a stroke involving the middle cerebral artery (who received tissue plasminogen activator treatment (Results— Fifty-eight patients (40%) became functionally independent at 3 months. Factors associated with good outcome were age (68 versus 74.4 years, P P P P =0.046). A logistic regression model identified baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score P =0.001), age P =0.027), and previous treatment with statins (OR: 5.26, 95% CI: 1.48 to 18.72, P =0.027) as independent predictors of good functional outcome. Conclusions— Patients under statins at the moment of stroke who received thrombolytics had an improved neurologic outcome.