Neurológia pre prax 3/2010

What subanalysis of the ECASS III study results revealed

Randomized, placebo-controlled European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study III proved the safety and efficacy on the intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) between 3 and 4.5 hours after the onset of ischemic stroke. Subanalysis of the results of this study showed that the following significantly better results were more frequent in rt-PA treated patients when compared to placebo: functional independence, defined as modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 0–2 after 90 days and, after 30 days, improvement of 8 points on the National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) or achieving a score of 0–1 on the NIHSS, Barthel index (BI) score of ≥ 95, mRS score of 0–1 and global outcome statistic. The use of the IVT with rt-PA in the extended time window within 4.5 hours since the onset of ischemic stroke may be recommended in all patients, fulfilling the criteria for its administration within 3 hours.

Keywords: intravenous thrombolysis, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, ECASS III.