The efficacy of systemic thrombolysis in patients with cardioembolic stroke

Abstract

Objective. To compare the efficacy and safety of systemic thrombolytic therapy (STLT) in patients with cardioembolic stroke (CE) versus other pathogenic subtypes of ischemic stroke (IS). Material and methods. The study included 147 patients, 62 women and 85 men (mean age — 62.9±0.8 years) including 37 patients (25.2%) with CE subtype of IS (group 1) and 110 patients with other pathogenetic subtypes of IS (group 2). NIHSS and Rankin scale were used to assess patient’s neurological status. Results. One hundred and twenty-six patients were discharged, 21 (14.3%) died. In 11 patients, the cause of death was the development of symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (SHT). There were no significant differences in the lethality between groups 1 and 2. Tolerability to STLT in these groups did not differ as well. As a result of treatment, the condition of patients surviving to the end of the hospital stay improved, which was reflected in a significant decrease in the NIHSS scores, despite the higher NIHSS scores in group 1. Conclusion. The results confirm the efficacy of STLT in patients with CE IS and indicate the increase in the frequency of favorable functional recovery in these patients.