Intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator for acute stroke in Poland: an analysis based on the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke (SITS) Registry.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Intravenous thrombolysis was conditionally approved in the European Union (EU) in 2002, under the requirement of entering all patients into Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke - Monitoring Study (SITS-MOST). Countries not belonging to the EU by 2002, i.e. Poland were invited to enter data into the SITS International Stroke Thrombolysis Registry (SITS-ISTR). The aim of this study is to compare the safety and efficacy of thrombolysis in the Polish SITS-ISTR stroke patient population with patients registered in SITS-MOST.

METHODS:

481 patients in Poland were reported between 2003 and 2007. Baseline and outcome data of Polish patients were compared with SITS-MOST.

RESULTS:

Most of the baseline characteristics did not differ between the groups. The most important was the onset-to-needle and door-to-needle times were significantly longer in Polish patients, 150 vs 136 min and 82 vs 68 min, respectively (P < 0.001). The symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage and independence rates at 3 months were similar in both populations. Polish patients had a significantly higher 3-month mortality rate, 18.6% vs 11.3% (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Because of higher mortality the study implies the need to improve the organization of thrombolysis services and provides the rationale to continue the monitoring of treatment in Poland.

• Authors: A Kobayashi, A Czlonkowska, N Ahmed, S Romanowicz, M Glonek, W M Nyka, G Opala, N Wahlgren, SITS Poland Collaborative Group
• Journal: Acta neurologica Scandinavica (Acta Neurol Scand) Vol. 122 Issue 4 Pg. 229-36 (Oct 2010) ISSN: 1600-0404 [Electronic] Denmark
• PMID: 19919643 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard.

Chemical References

• Fibrinolytic Agents
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Topics

• Aged
• Analysis of Variance
• Atrial Fibrillation (complications)
• Brain Ischemia (complications, drug therapy, mortality)
• Female
• Fibrinolytic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Hypertension (complications)
• Injections, Intravenous
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Poland
• Registries
• Stroke (complications, drug therapy, mortality)
• Thrombolytic Therapy (methods)
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome