Thrombolytic Treatment In Patients Research Articles

Prehospital computed tomography in a rural district for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke.

Early diagnosis and triage of patients with ischemic stroke is essential for rapid reperfusion therapy. The prehospital delay may be substantial and patients from rural districts often arrive at their local hospital too late for disability-preventing thrombolytic therapy due to prolonged transport times. Hallingdal District Medical Centre (HDMC) is located in a rural area of Norway and is equipped with a computed tomography (CT) scanner. We established emergency pathways of CT imaging and thrombolytic treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke at HDMC. During office hours these pathways were managed by a radiographer and a general physician supported by videoconference from the Primary Stroke Centre. Outside office hours we remotely controlled the CT exam and supported telestroke guided paramedics handling and examining the patients. With a primary aim of demonstrating the feasibility of this de novo concept we enrolled patients in the period 2017-2021 into a comparative cohort observational study. We compared patients treated at HDMC (the Rural CT group) to patients from two other rural regions in Norway with similar distances to their local hospital but without access to a rural CT scanner (the Reference group). A total of 86 patients were included in the Rural CT group (mean age 74, 52% male, 43% stroke mimics), and 69 patients were included in the Reference group (mean age 70, 42% male, 28% stroke mimics). Median time from onset of symptoms to completed CT examination was 93 min in the Rural CT group as compared to 240 min in the Reference group (p < 0.05). In patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis time from onset of symptoms to treatment was median 124 min in the Rural CT group and 213 min in the Reference group, p < 0.05. The frequency of thrombolysis for ischemic stroke did not significantly differ between the two groups. Combining prehospital rural CT examination with telestroke guided diagnosis and thrombolytic treatment by paramedics may facilitate earlier initiation of thrombolysis for patients with ischemic stroke.

Thrombolytic Treatment in Wake-Up Stroke: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis of Treatment Effectiveness in the Norwegian Stroke Registry.

Previous clinical trials found improved outcome of thrombolytic treatment in patients with ischemic wake-up stroke (WUS) selected by advanced imaging techniques. The authors assessed the effectiveness of thrombolytic treatment in patients with WUS in a nationwide stroke registry. Using propensity score matching, the authors assessed the effectiveness and safety of thrombolytic treatment versus no thrombolytic treatment in 726 patients (363 matched pairs) with WUS in the Norwegian Stroke Registry in 2014 to 2019. Thrombolytic treatment in WUS versus known-onset stroke was compared in 730 patients (365 matched pairs). Functional outcomes were assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 months. A significant benefit of thrombolytic treatment in WUS was seen in ordinal analysis (odds ratio [OR], 1.48 [95% CI, 1.15-1.91]; P=0.003) and for mRS 0 to 2 (OR, 1.81 [95% CI, 1.29-2.52]; P=0.001) but not for mRS 0 or 1 (OR, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.00-1.74]; P=0.050). The proportion of patients with mRS 0 or 1 was lower in patients with WUS who underwent thrombolysis versus those with known-onset stroke (50.4% versus 59.5%; OR, 0.69 [95% CI, 0.52-0.93]; P=0.013), while outcomes were similar between groups for mRS 0 to 2 and ordinal analysis. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after thrombolytic treatment occurred in 4.4% of patients with WUS and 3.9% of patients with known-onset stroke (OR, 1.14 [95% CI, 0.54-2.41]; P=0.726). Thrombolytic treatment in patients with WUS was associated with improved functional outcome compared with patients with no thrombolytic treatment and was not associated with increased rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage compared with known-onset stroke. The results indicate that thrombolytic treatment is effective and safe in WUS in a real-life setting.

Clinical characteristics and time of initiation of thrombolytic treatment in patients with Ischemic Cerebrovascular Accident in the Stroke Unit of the Emergency Service of the Hospital de Clínicas

Introducción: la trombólisis intravenosa revolucionó la terapéutica de los pacientes con accidentes cerebrovasculares isquémicos. Objetivo: determinar las características clínicas y tiempo de inicio de tratamiento trombolítico en pacientes con accidente cerebrovascular isquémico en la Unidad de ICTUS del Hospital de Clínicas. Metodología: estudio retrospectivo, observacional, descriptivo, transversal, muestreo no probabilístico, de pacientes con diagnóstico de accidente cerebrovascular isquémico ingresados en la Unidad de ICTUS del Hospital de Clínicas, desde enero del 2015 hasta junio del 2022. Se midieron variables sociodemográficas, tiempo de inicio de tratamiento trombolítico, NIHSS al ingreso, 24 horas y 5 días, escala ASPCT, glicemia, presión arterial sistólica y diastólica, factores de riesgo de enfermedad cardiaca, transformación hemorrágica. Resultados: 10 % de los pacientes cumplieron criterios de trombólisis, edad media 62 ± 1, masculino 59 %. Promedio desde el ingreso hospitalario hasta el goteo del trombolítico fue 44±2 minutos y desde el inicio del cuadro hasta el goteo del trombolítico 195 ± 5 minutos. Los factores de riesgo cardiovascular más frecuentes fueron Hipertensión Arterial y Diabetes Mellitus, en 5 % de los trombolizados ocurrieron transformaciones hemorrágicas sintomáticas. Conclusión: 10 % de los pacientes cumplieron criterios para trombólisis. La media desde el ingreso al hospital hasta el goteo del fibrinolítico fue de 44 minutos y desde el inicio del cuadro hasta el goteo del trombolítico 195 ± 5 minutos. Los factores de riesgo de enfermedad cardiaca más frecuentes fueron la Hipertensión Arterial y Diabetes Mellitus, ocurrió 5% de transformación hemorrágica sintomática.

Optional therapeutic management of intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism patients

Background: Few studies have evaluated the thrombolytic treatment in patients with intermediate-high risk pulmonary embolism, making this study more valuable. Material and methods: It was a prospective, non-randomized, open-label, single-center study. Eligible patients at the age of 18 or older with an acute pulmonary embolism (PE) confirmed by CT pulmonary angiography with onset until 14 day and signs of right ventricular (RV) overload on echocardiography took part in the study. Pulmonary Arterial CT Obstruction Index Rate (PACTOIR) was used to define the localization and the expansion zone of thromboembolism. This study included 18 patients with intermediate risk and acute submassive pulmonary thromboembolism. In thrombolysis (TT) group (n=9) were used 50 mg of tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA) administered in infusion as 0.4 mg/h for 2 hours. In the standard anticoagulation group, unfractioned heparin (UFH) was administered as a bolus of 70 units/kg or a maximum of 5000 units, followed by continuous infusion at an initial rate of 16 units/kg or a maximum of 1000 units/h. Results: The mean age for TT group was 69 vs 63 for the UFH group. PACTOIR was 100% in 3 patients in the half-dose rt-PA group and in 2 patients in the UFH group. RV/LV diameter ratio decreased from baseline to 48 h post-procedure (1.55 vs. 1.13; mean difference, -0.42; p &lt; 0.0001). Mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure was 55 mm Hg in both groups (p &lt; 0.05), with 53 [43–60] in TT group vs. 41.5 [37–45] mmHg in UFH group, P&lt;0.05. Also, RV/ LV ratio and systolic PAP decreased significantly in both groups. Severe bleeding with a need in red blood cell transfusion was seen in 0.11% (1 patient) in the TT group vs 0 in UFH group. The hospitalization length of stay was significantly shorter in the TT group (3.8±1.8, p &lt; 0.05). The rate of secondary endpoints was significantly higher in the UFH group with a high rate of pulmonary hypertension (0 vs. 19%, p=0.003). Conclusions: Half-dose thrombolytic therapy in patients diagnosed with submassive pulmonary embolism significantly reduced death and hemodynamic decompensation in the first 7 days compared to anticoagulant therapy only. With all that being said, it can be concluded that patients with high-intermediate risk PE could benefit from reduced-dose TT.

Can GRACE Risk Score Predict Mortality and the Need for Thrombolytic Treatment in Acute Pulmonary Embolism?

Acute coronary syndrome and pulmonary embolism (PE) are clinical entities sharing similar presentation and risk factors. Risk scores and indexes help to identify disease severity in both diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate if the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score could predict 30-day mortality and the need for thrombolytic treatment in patients with acute PE. Patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of PE in our tertiary center between January 2018 and May 2022 were included in this retrospective study. Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) and GRACE risk scores on admission were calculated using clinical, electrocardiographic, and laboratory parameters for each patient. A total of 197 patients were included. The 30-day mortality rate was 28.4% whereas 32.5% of the patients required thrombolytic treatment. GRACE and PESI scores were found independent risk factors associated with 30-day mortality and the need for thrombolytic treatment. A cut-off value of 160.5 for GRACE score was associated with 88.5% sensitivity and 89.4% specificity in prediction of 30-day mortality. In contrast, GRACE score had 61.0% sensitivity and 60.0% specificity in the prediction of the need for thrombolytic treatment when the cut-off value was 147. In conclusion, GRACE risk score has an effective discriminating power in determining the early mortality of patients with acute PE. The incidence of short-term PE-related mortality was significantly increased in patients with high GRACE risk scores. Concomitant use of GRACE and PESI risk scores may aid in defining patients with high-risk PE and help predict poor prognosis with high specificity and probability.

The relation between thrombus burden and early mortality risk in inpatients diagnosed with COVID-19-related acute pulmonary embolism: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundCOVID-19-related acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APE) is associated with poor outcomes in patients with COVID-19. There are studies investigating the association between thrombus burden and high risk of early mortality in the pre-COVID-19 period. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between clot burden and early mortality risk in COVID-19-related APE patients.MethodsIn this single-center retrospective cohort study, the data of hospitalized adult patients followed up for COVID-19-related APE between April 1, 2020, and April 1, 2021, were electronically collected. A radiologist evaluated the computed tomography (CT) findings and calculated the Mastora scores to determine clot burden. The early mortality risk group of each patient was determined using 2019 the European Society of Cardiology guidelines.ResultsOf the 87 patients included in the study, 58 (66.7%) were male, and the mean age was 62.5±16.2 years. There were 53 (60.9%) patients with a low risk of mortality, 18 (20.7%) with an intermediate-low risk, and 16(18.4%) with an intermediate-high/high risk. The median total simplified Mastora scores were 11.0, 18.5, and 31.5 in the low, the intermediate-low, and the intermediate-high/high-risk groups, respectively (p = 0.002). With the 80.61% of post-hoc power of the study, intermediate-high/high early mortality risk was associated statistically significantly with the total simplified Mastora score (adj OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 1.02–1.11,p = 0.009). Total simplified Mastora score was found to predict intermediate-high/high early mortality risk with a probability of 0.740 (95% CI = 0.603–0.877): At the optimal cut-off value of 18.5, it had 75.0% sensitivity, 66.2% specificity, 33.3% positive predictive value, and 92.2% negative predictive value.ConclusionsThe total simplified Mastora score was found to be positively associated with early mortality risk and could be useful as decision support for the risk assessment in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Evaluation of thrombus burden on CT angiography performed for diagnostic purposes can accelerate the decision of close monitoring and thrombolytic treatment of patients with moderate/high risk of early mortality.

Comparison of the Success Rate of Treatment with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention PCI versus Thrombolytic Treatment in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Local Hospitals in Iran

Comparison of the Success Rate of Treatment with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention PCI versus Thrombolytic Treatment in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Local Hospitals in Iran

Evaluation of serum YKL-40 level among clinical risk scores for early mortality in acute pulmonary thromboembolism

IntroductionPulmonary embolism (PE) often occurs secondary to deep vein thrombosis and is an important cause of mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between YKL-40 level and clinical risk score in patients with PE. MethodsThe study included a total of 100 patients, 80 patients diagnosed with PE in the emergency department and 20 healthy controls. Patients with PE were divided into four groups: high-risk patients (n = 20), high-intermediate-risk patients (n = 20), low-intermediate-risk patients (n = 20), and low-risk patients (n = 20). Serum YKL-40 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pulmonary artery obstruction index (PAOI) was calculated from computed tomography angiography images. ResultsPAOI increased in correlation with PE risk and differed significantly between all patient groups (p < 0.001). Troponin-I levels were significantly higher in the high-risk and high-intermediate-risk groups compared to the other groups (p < 0.001), but did not differ significantly between high-risk and high-intermediate-risk patients (p = 0.09). YKL-40 level was significantly higher in the high-risk PE group than the high-intermediate-risk group (p < 0.001). In receiving operator characteristic curve analysis assessing the discriminatory value of YKL-40 for high-risk PE patients, a cut-off value of 227.2 ng/mL had sensitivity of 85 % and specificity of 70 %. DiscussionYKL-40 may be an important biomarker in decisions regarding early thrombolytic treatment in patients with high-intermediate-risk PE. In addition, medical treatments targeting YKL-40 may also reduce thrombotic tendency in high-risk patient groups.

Outcome After Thrombolysis in Patients With Intermediate High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: A Propensity Score Analysis.

The role of thrombolytic treatment in patients with intermediate high-risk pulmonary embolism (IHR-PE) remains controversial. In this study, we assessed whether systemic thrombolysis decreases hemodynamic decompensation and mortality in a cohort of unselected patients with IHR compared with patients with conventional anticoagulation. Between January 2014 and December 2018, 137 patients with IHR-PE were identified among 539 consecutive patients treated for symptomatic PE. In 35 patients (25.5%), systemic thrombolysis was used. Propensity score matching was performed based on 17 pretreatment variables. The primary outcome was hemodynamic decompensation, defined by systolic hypotension, need for catecholamines or signs of end-organ hypoperfusion, and all-cause mortality during hospitalization. Secondary outcomes, such as 1-year survival, and safety outcomes, such as bleeding events, were analyzed. The effects of systemic thrombolysis and anticoagulation were compared in 55 matched patients with IHR-PE (systemic thrombolysis n=21; anticoagulation n=34). Thrombolysis was associated with a reduction (0% vs. 31%; p=0.004) of the primary outcome during hospitalization and a 1-year survival benefit (100% vs. 83.2%; p=0.036). Severe bleeding events occurred in 4.8% vs. 0% (p=0.382) and moderate bleeding was observed in 14.3% vs. 7.1% (p=0.359) in patients with thrombolysis compared with anticoagulation, respectively. Thrombolysis was associated with a significant reduction of the combined endpoint of hemodynamic decompensation and death during hospitalization and lower all-cause mortality after 1 year in an unselected group of patients with IHR-PE. Further studies are required to improve the therapy of IHR-PE and to identify the subgroup of patients that might benefit from thrombolytic therapy.

New Remote Cerebral Microbleeds on T2*-Weighted Echo Planar MRI After Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BackgroundThe main and well-defined complication of intravenous administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). However, rtPA might also be connected with the formation of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), located remotely from the ischemic lesions, that may remain clinically silent. This association might be important because the load of CMBs has been associated with cognitive impairment. We investigated whether administration of rtPA in AIS results in the appearance of new CMBs and if the initial load of CMBs is associated with hemorrhagic transformation.MethodsA total of fifty-nine consecutive patients with AIS treated with rtPA underwent MRI including T2*-weighted Echo Planar Imaging (T2*-EPI) shortly before and 7–9 days after rtPA administration. We calculated the load of new CMBs located outside the MR diffusion restriction area in the follow-up imaging and assessed hemorrhagic transformation with ECASS-II scoring.ResultsA total of forty-nine patients were included for the final analysis. On initial T2*-EPI-GRE, 37 baseline microbleeds (CMBs) were observed in 14 patients (28.6%). On follow-up T2*-EPI-GRE amount of CMBs increased to a total number of 103. New CMBs were found in 5 (14.3%) of 35 patients without and in 9 (64.3%) of 14 with any baseline CMBs. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that presence of baseline CMBs (risk ratio [RR] 5.95, 95% CI 2.69–13.20, p < 0.001) and lower platelets level (risk ratio [RR] 0.992, 95% CI 0.986–0.998, p = 0.007) were independently associated with new CMBs. The baseline load of CMBs was not associated with the risk of hemorrhagic transformation.ConclusionIn this study, new CMBs were found in nearly 30% of patients with AIS on the 7–9 days after rtPA treatment. Baseline CMBs correlated with a higher risk of new CMBs appearing after the rtPA treatment, independently of other factors. At the same time, in our sample, baseline CMBs did not correlate with an increased risk of hemorrhagic transformation. Since the associations between the CMBs load and cognitive impairment have already been proved, further studies are warranted to investigate possible associations between the thrombolytic treatment of patients with AIS, mainly those with baseline CMBs, and the risk of earlier cognitive decline.

Abstract P860: Is Now the Time to Wake Up?

Thrombolytic treatment for patients who wake with acute ischemic stroke based on MRI DWI-FLAIR mismatch was added to AHA’s 2019 stroke guidelines. While changes were implemented to facilitate care in 2019, it was determined that managing each patient on a case-by-case basis would best use system resources. The spring of 2020 brought new challenges in delay to hospital arrival due to COVID-19. Purpose: Evaluate the current process of managing potential wake up treatment eligible patients. Methods: All ischemic stroke discharges during CT’s rise and peak of the pandemic were reviewed, January 1 - May 31, 2020. Records were reviewed to determine time of arrival, onset or last seen well, time found, NIHSS, treatment or hyperacute MRI done, and any contraindication based on wake up criteria. A chi-square of proportions or Fisher’s Exact test was used to examine the association between month of discharge and patient characteristics for categorical variables. A Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for the continuous NIHSS variable. Results: Since the first COVID-19 patients were admitted in early March, results from January and February were combined (Group 1 n=122) and compared to March, April and May (Group 2 n=143). There was a non-significant (p=0.48) increase from group 1 (62.3%) to group 2 (66.4%) in the percentage arriving more than 4.5 hours from onset or LSW. In addition, group 1 had higher NIHSSs than group 2 (median, IQR=6, 9 vs 3, 10, respectively), but this was not significant (p=0.27, H=1.21). This did however translate into fewer meeting wake up criteria for treatment during the rise and peak period (Group 1=6.6%, Group 2=2.8%; p=0.15). Use of hyperacute MRI was significantly higher in group 1 than group 2 (5.7% vs 0%, p=0.004) since no patients received a hyperacute MRI during peak pandemic. Conclusions: While more patients were expected to be eligible for acute thrombolytics using the wake up criteria due to delay in hospital arrival, this was not observed. Instead, patients arriving during the peak of the pandemic were less severe. Although a hyperacute MRI was still possible without confirmation of COVID-19 negative status, none were done. Enhancements to facilitate obtaining a hyperacute MRI are still needed regardless of reason for patient delay to hospital arrival.

Comparison of urokinase and reteplase thrombolytic treatment in patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism.

Thrombolytic treatment is recommended for patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism. The present study compared thrombolytic therapy with urokinase and reteplase. A total of 37 patients presenting with acute high-risk pulmonary embolism at the Intensive Care Unit of Weinan Central Hospital of Shaanxi Province (Weinan, China) between June 2013 and January 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. According to their treatment, these subjects were assigned to the reteplase group (n=16) or the urokinase group (n=21). Systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) were recorded prior to, and at 2, 4, 24 and 48 h after thrombolytic therapy. Complications, including bleeding, were closely monitored. Changes in blood gas analysis, troponin-T (TNT), pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) and D-dimer (D-D) were observed. In the reteplase and urokinase group, 11 and 13 cases exhibited marked improvement, treatment was rated as effective in 4 and 6 cases, and 1 and 2 mortalities occurred, resulting in an overall effective rate of 93.8 and 90.5%, respectively (P>0.05). In the reteplase group, one patient was unsuccessfully resuscitated and died. In the urokinase group, one patient died of gastric hemorrhage after 22 h of thrombolysis, while another patient died of brain failure resuscitation. The treatment improved the SBP in each of the two groups (P<0.05), and this outcome was similar between these two groups (P>0.05). HR and RR were similar prior to and after thrombolytic therapy (P>0.05). In contrast to the urokinase group, TNT was significantly decreased after thrombolyis compared with the baseline in the reteplase group. Complications in the reteplase group were higher, but in contrast to the urokinase group, no life-threatening bleeding occurred. Although reteplase is as effective as urokinase in treating high-risk pulmonary embolism, reteplase may reduce myocardial damage.

The Results of Thrombolytic Treatment in Patients With High-risk Pulmonary Embolism

Abstract Background: Mortality rates due to massive pulmonary embolism (PE) are much higher than estimated. Although thrombolytic therapy is controversial, it can be a life-saving procedure and can be safely used in patients with massive PE. Study aim: We aimed to share the results of thrombolytic treatment in patients with massive PE. Material and methods: We retrospectively evaluated 72 patients with PE admitted between January 2010 and April 2018 to the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, VM Medicalpark Samsun Hospital, Samsun, Turkey. The data of patients who received thrombolytic treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The female to male ratio was 24/48, with a mean age of 62.7 ± 12.6 (minimum 27, maximum 88) years. The diagnosis of massive PE was established with echocardiography in all patients and was confirmed via pulmonary CT angiography in 45 patients (62.5%) who presented an appropriate clinical status for this imaging technique. The most common symptoms were dyspnea (90.3%), chest pain (83.3%), and syncope (40.2%). The S1Q3T3 electrocardiography pattern was noted in 82% of patients, who rapidly recovered after thrombolytic therapy. Cardiopulmonary arrest was seen in 25 patients (37.2%), and thrombolytic treatment was administered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 18% (n = 13) of patients. The survival rate was 30.7% (n = 4) in patients with cardiopulmonary arrest who received thrombolytic treatment in the emergency room. The complications of rt-PA treatment included minor hemorrhages in 6.4% (n = 5), major hemorrhages in 2.7% (n = 2), and allergic reactions in 1.3% (n = 1) of patients. None of the patients had deceased as a complication of thrombolytic treatment. The overall mortality rate was 26.2% (n = 19), and 12.5% (n = 9) of the patients have died in first 24 hours after thrombolysis. Conclusions: We concluded that the risk factors, ECG, and echocardiography are key indicators for the suspicion of massive PE in patients with hemodynamic shock. Based on our experience, early thrombolytic therapy is a life-saving intervention in patients with diagnosed and/or suspected massive PE.

Cooperation between the Doctor and Nursing Staff in the Proces of Diagnosis and Thrombolytic Treatment of Patients in Acute Stroke Period

In accordance with the WHO (World Health Organization) definition applicable since 1980, stroke (BS) is a disease syndrome characterized by a sudden occurrence of focal or generalized cerebral dysfunctions, which last longer than 24 hours, unless they are fatal. Thrombolytic therapy is currently the recommended and most effective method of treatment of recent ischemic stroke. The success of treating stroke equally depends on the appropriate organization of the entire team caring for the patient.In order to efficiently conduct thrombolytic treatment in a patient with acute ischemic stroke, medical and nursing staff working in the Department of Stroke Treatment should have the following skills: high level of professional responsibility, high professional competence, have the ability to cooperate in a team and establish interpersonal contacts, including those with the patient and their family. Team members should make difficult decisions jointly, analyze and modify their activities so that treatment could be implemented as soon as possible while maintaining the utmost discretion and clinical alertness.This article was prepared in order to summarize and organize available knowledge on the cooperation between the doctor and nursing staff in the diagnosis and thrombolytic therapy of patients in the acute stroke period. (JNNN 2019;8(1):37–43)

The serum homocysteine level in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after thrombolysis and its relationship with clinical outcomes.

The present study aims to investigate whether hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) affects the outcomes of the thrombolytic treatment for patients with AIS. A sample of 120 AIS patients were recruited and grouped according to their serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was obtained before treatment and 7 days after it to evaluate neurological outcomes; modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was obtained 12 weeks later to assess functional outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to demonstrate the relationship between serum Hcy level and the outcomes after tPA treatment. The serum Hcy level of 120 patients was of 27.57±20.17μmol/L. The NIHSS scores of the patients in the low Hcy level group were remarkably lower compared to those in the high-level group (p<0.05), after 7 days of treatment. In addition, the mRS scores of the patients in the low Hcy level group, after 12 weeks, were remarkably lower compared to those in the high-level group (p<0.01). ROC demonstrated that the serum Hcy level is related to the clinical outcomes of thrombolytic treatment with moderate specificity (80.3%) and sensitivity (58.2%). In conclusion, higher serum Hcy levels can indicate poorer clinical outcomes of thrombolytic treatment in patients with AIS.

Clinical Profile, Management, and Outcome in Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest and ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Insights From a 20-Year Registry.

We studied the clinical profile, management, and outcomes of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) with and without ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Retrospective analysis of the 20-year registry data (January 1991- June 2010) was conducted on patients with cardiac disease hospitalized at Hamad General Hospital and Qatar Heart Hospital, Doha, Qatar. A total of 987 patients with OHCA were admitted to the cardiology department during the study period; among them, 296 (30%) patients had STEMI. Compared to the patients with OHCA without STEMI, the patients who had OHCA with STEMI were younger (53 ± 13 vs 58 ± 16 years; P = .001), more likely to be male (78% vs 34%; P = .001), smokers (35% vs 14%) but less likely to have hypertension (30% vs 48%; P = .001), diabetes (32% vs 47%, P = .001), and chronic renal failure (3.4% vs 9%; P = .002). The use of thrombolytic treatment in patients with STEMI increased from 21.6% (period 1991-1095) to 44.4% (period 2006-2010); P = .04. Percutaneous coronary intervention had increased significantly during the last quarter of the study. There was a decline in the in-hospital mortality among patients with STEMI during the last quarter of the study.

The use of cytoflavin in reperfusion in ischemic stroke

to study the efficacy of cytoflavin in thrombolytic treatment of patients with acute ischemic stroke (IS). Fifty-five patients in the acute stage of IS were examined. The National Institutes of Health Stroke scale (NIHSS), the Rankin scale and the Barthel index of activities of daily living were used. Depending on the scheme of treatment, patients were divided into 2 groups: the first (basic) group included 29 patients who received cytoflavin immediately after thrombolytic therapy. The control group (26 patients) received basic vascular and neuroprotective treatment. The marked reduction in the severity of neurological symptoms to the 10th day of treatment and higher probability of a successful outcome were noted in the basic group compared to the controls. There was an improvement of functional activities according to the Rankin scale and of activities of daily living assessed by the Barthel index, with scores "moderate dependence" in the basic group and "severe dependence" in the control group. The inclusion of cytoflavin in the treatment scheme of patients with acute IS increased the efficacy of treatment.

Tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute ischemic stroke: Outcomes associated with ambulation.

Several clinical trials have highlighted general favorable outcomes of intravenous tissue type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute ischemic stroke using different measures including, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Findings from most of these measures indicate that the benefits of rt-PA are time dependent, thus, supporting intensive efforts to fast-track hospital thrombolytic treatment in patients with stroke. Despite the widespread benefits of rt-PA, the effectiveness of this therapy on specific functions such as ambulatory performance of the recovering stroke patient is not fully investigated. We aim to investigate this issue in the current study. We analyzed data from a retrospective cohort of acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to Greenville Health System (GHS) between 2010-2013. We identified patients who received rt-PA within a 4.5 hour time frame following the onset of acute ischemic stroke symptoms. Our analysis compared ambulatory variables and hospital-level characteristics in proportions of patients receiving rt-PA with those not receiving rt-PA. This analysis determined whether early treatment with rt-PA is associated with favorable changes in ambulatory status from admission to discharge following acute ischemic stroke. Among 663 patients with ischemic stroke who were eligible to receive rt-PA, 241 patients received rt-PA and 422 patients did not due to several risk factors. We found a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) for changes in ambulation status from hospital admission to discharge between patients receiving rt-PA and patients who did not receive rt-PA. Among patients who received rt-PA, 27.8% improved in their ambulation status, 41.9% saw no change in their ambulation status, 0.4% worsened in their ambulation status, and 29.9% were unable to be determined. Of the patients who did not receive rt-PA, 20.1% improved in their ambulation status, 61.8% saw no change in their ambulation status, 1.4% worsened in their ambulation status, and 16.6% were unable to be determined. Our current study indicates that early treatment with rt-PA may be associated with favorable changes in ambulatory status from admission to discharge following acute ischemic stroke.

Systematic review and meta-analysis for thrombolysis treatment in patients with acute submassive pulmonary embolism

PurposeThe aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of thrombolytic treatment in patients with submassive pulmonary embolism (PE).MethodsAn electronic search was carried out based on the databases from MEDLINE, Embase, Science Citation Index (SCI), and the Cochrane Library. We included prospective, randomized, and clinical trials in thrombolysis with heparin alone in adults who had evidence of right ventricular dysfunction and normotension. The main endpoints consist of mortality, recurrent PE, and bleeding risk. The relative risk (RR) and the relevant 95% confidence intervals were determined by the dichotomous variable.ResultsOnly seven studies involving 594 patients met the inclusion criteria for further review. The cumulative effect of thrombolysis, compared with intravenous heparin, demonstrated no statistically significant difference in mortality (2.7% versus 4.3%; RR=0.64 [0.29–1.40]; P=0.27) or recurrent PE (2% versus 5%; RR=0.44 [0.19–1.05]; P=0.06). Thrombolytic therapy did not increase major hemorrhage compared with intravenous heparin (4.5% versus 3.3%; RR=1.16 [0.51–2.60]; P=0.73), but it was associated with an increased minor hemorrhage (41% versus 9%; RR=3.91 [1.46–10.48]; P=0.007).ConclusionCompared with heparin alone, neither mortality nor recurrent PE is reduced by thrombolysis in patients with submassive PE, and it does not reveal an increasing risk of major bleeding. In addition, thrombolysis also produces the increased risk of minor bleeding; however, no sufficient evidence verifies the thrombolytic benefit in this review, because the number of patients enrolled in the trials is limited. Therefore, a large, double-blind clinical trial is required to prove the outcomes of this meta-analysis.

2013 Canadian Stroke Congress Abstracts

### A Systematic Comparison of Different Techniques to Measure Clot Length in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Qazi, A1, 3 Eesa, M1, 2 Qazi, E1, 3 Goyal, M2, 1 Demchuk, A1, 4, 3 Menon, B1, 4, 3; 1. Calgary Stroke Program, Calgary, AB; 2. Department of Radiology, Calgary, AB; 3. University of Calgary, Calgary, AB; 4. Department of Neurology, Calgary, AB Introduction: Clot length on CT/CTA has been used to predict recanalization with thrombolytic treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS). We compared different techniques of measuring clot length on CT/CTA to identify the most reliable method. Methods: 4 1 patients with M1-MCA occlusions from INTERRSeCT, a prospective imaging based cohort study of AIS patients, were included. Hyperdense sign was measured on NCCT(5mm slice thickness). Clot length was measured on CTA at 3mm and 24mm-slices in the axial and coronal plane by:1) measuring the non-visualized segment of M1-MCA and 2) calculating ratio of residual lumen length within M1-MCA segment to length of contralateral patent M1-MCA segment. Two readers analyzed all images independently and were blinded to CTA when reading NCCT. Level of concordance between raters for each method was calculated using Cohen’s kappa for categorical variables and Intra-class Correlation Coefficient(ICC type2, single measure). A method has high inter-rater reliability if the level of concordance is high. Results: Measuring residual lumen ratio on CTA(3mm) is the most reliable technique for measuring clot length. Measuring length of hyperdense sign on NCCT is fairly reliable. Direct clot length measurements on CTA are only reliable if done on 24mm CTA slices using MIP. Conclusion: Reliability of clot length assessment and its interaction with treatment type in predicting recanalization depends on the type of imaging modality and technique used. CTA remains the best tool to measure clot length. ### New Approaches to Fast Stroke Imaging with Magnetic Resonance Yerly, J2 Lauzon, M1 Lebel, R3, 1 Sevick, RJ1 Barber, PA1 Frayne, …