Abstract
BackgroundIntravenous thrombolysis is a widely approved treatment method for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Nevertheless, there is a growing interest in its impact on functional outcomes and Health-related Quality of life (HR-QoL). We aimed to evaluate and compare the HR-QoL in patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and in those without thrombolytic therapy during the first 3-month post-stroke in a defined Bulgarian population.ResultsPatients treated with IVT have simillar functional outcomes and HR-QoL on the third month as the group with conservative treatment, besides their higher NIHSS on admission. Patients with IVT had better self-assessed recovery after the AIS. The higher NIHSS and mRS scores and the lower HR-QoL on discharge are reliable predictors for a poor functional outcome on the third month. A door-to-needle of 60 min or less, and the absence of pathological neuroimaging findings 24-h post IVT predict more beneficial HR-QoL outcome.ConclusionThere were no significant differences in HR-QoL and functional outcomes between the groups. Nevertheless, IVT is a treatment option with great importance for improving the clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke, which should be performed in well selected patients.
Highlights
Intravenous thrombolysis is a widely approved treatment method for acute ischemic stroke (AIS)
Little is known about the long-term effects after ischemic stroke in the Bulgarian population especially for patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT)
The non-thrombolized patients (NTP) were patients admitted after the therapeutic window for intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) or had contraindications according to the European Stroke Organisation (ESO) guidelines on intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke [7]
Summary
Intravenous thrombolysis is a widely approved treatment method for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We aimed to evaluate and compare the HR-QoL in patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and in those without thrombolytic therapy during the first 3-month post-stroke in a defined Bulgarian population. A large variety of clinical and functional outcomes can be observed in stroke patients, ranging from full recovery to severe functional dependence or even death [2]. Thrombolytic therapy with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) administered within 4.5 h of first symptom onset is nowadays widely used and highly effective treatment for ischemic stroke patients, which significantly reduces the neurological deficit [3]. Little is known about the long-term effects after ischemic stroke in the Bulgarian population especially for patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). It is essential to know the differences in outcomes and predictive factors for functional outcomes in patients who received thrombolysis and in those who did not receive this kind of treatment
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