Abstract
Little is known about the role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in the relationship between P-wave terminal force in lead V1 (PTFV1) and stroke prognosis. We aimed to investigate how hsCRP influences the effect of PTFV1 on ischemic stroke recurrence and mortality. In this study, patients enrolled in the Third China National Stroke Registry, which enrolled consecutive patients who had suffered an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in China, were analyzed. After excluding patients with atrial fibrillation, 8271 patients with PTFV1 and hsCRP measurements were included in this analysis. Cox regression analyses were used to assess the association between PTFV1 and stroke prognosis according to different inflammation statuses stratified by an hsCRP level of 3 mg/L. A total of 216 (2.6%) patients died, and 715 (8.6%) patients experienced ischemic stroke recurrence within 1 year. In patients with hsCRP levels ≥ 3 mg/L, elevated PTFV1 was significantly associated with mortality (HR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.05-2.92; p = 0.03), while in those with hsCRP levels < 3 mg/L, such an association did not exist. In contrast, in patients with hsCRP levels < 3 mg/L and those with hsCRP levels ≥ 3 mg/L, elevated PTFV1 remained significantly associated with ischemic stroke recurrence. The predictive role of PTFV1 towards mortality but not ischemic stroke recurrence differed in terms of hsCRP levels.