BackgroundThrombolysis with alteplase is an effective and safe treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). It is controversial whether the outcome of thrombolysis in cardioembolic stroke is different from that of other stroke subtypes. This study compares the outcomes at 3months postthrombolysis in Chinese patients with AIS secondary to cardioembolism (CE) to the outcomes of those with large-artery atherosclerosis (LAA). MethodsUsing the Thrombolysis Implementation and Monitoring of Acute Ischemic Stroke in China (TIMS-China) cohort, we prospectively followed 827 patients treated within 4.5h of onset symptoms with alteplase as an intravenous thrombolytic agent. CE and LAA were defined according to TOAST criteria. We compared symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH), mortality, and functional outcome at 3months using multivariables logistic regression analysis. ResultsIn this cohort, 221 (19.6%) had CE and 606 (53.7%) had LAA. Approximately 2/3 of patients with CE had atrial fibrillation. Symptoms at onset were more severe in patients with CE than in those with LAA (NIHSS, 15.0 vs. 11.0; P<0.0001); increased rate of SICH (5.9% vs. 0.8%; P<0.0001); higher mortality (18.6% vs. 10.3%; P=0.0015); and reduced functional independence (43.6% vs. 55.9%; P=0.0018) at 3-month follow-up. After adjustment for baseline variables, the clinical outcome of patients with CE was worse than that of patients with LAA (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.97, P=0.0378). ConclusionsPatients with cardioembolic stroke had more SICH after thrombolysis, and worse clinical outcome at 3-month follow-up compared with those with LAA. This emphasizes the importance of preventing cardioembolism.