Assessment of the Functional Status of Patients after Ischemic Stroke Treated with Thrombolytic Therapy

Abstract

Introduction. One of the most effective methods for treating acute ischemic stroke is thrombolytic therapy, which involves intravenous administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) within a narrow therapeutic window of up to 4.5 hours from symptom onset. Aim. The aim of this study was to assess the functional status of patients with ischemic stroke treated with thrombolytic therapy. Material and Methods. The study was conducted in the Neurological Department with a Stroke Subunit on a group of 90 patients hospitalized due to ischemic stroke and eligible for thrombolytic treatment. Functional status was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and the Barthel Index on admission and at discharge from the hospital. Results. The mean scores on the modified Rankin Scale, NIHSS, and Barthel Index on admission were 4.3, 13.1, and 14.2, respectively. At discharge, the scores were 2.4, 6.0, and 59.5, respectively. Conclusions. Based on the conducted research, it was observed that thrombolytic therapy contributed to the improvement of functional status. (JNNN 2024;13(2):47–53)