Ischemic stroke outcome and early infection: its deleterious effect seems to operate also among tissue plasminogen activator-treated patients.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Infection has been recognized as a significant predictor of outcome for ischemic stroke patients, although the mechanisms by which this association is operative have not been fully established, and their potential roles in a setting of close clinical monitoring, such as that of stroke units offering reperfusion therapies, have not been evaluated.

METHODS:

We reviewed the medical records of 139 consecutive tissue plasminogen activator-treated stroke patients admitted to our stroke unit to evaluate potential predictors of neurological outcome.

RESULTS:

57 patients (41%) did not show neurological improvement by discharge, and 11.5% died during admission. Infections were related to lack of improvement (29.8 vs. 14.6%; p = 0.03) and PH-type hemorrhagic transformation (42.1 vs. 17.5%; p = 0.014); the latter was associated with a higher mortality rate (26.3 vs. 9.2%; p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS:

Infection may be associated with poor functional outcome among tissue plasminogen activator-treated stroke patients.

• Authors: David Salat, Pilar Delgado, Sara Alonso, Marc Ribó, Estevo Santamarina, Manuel Quintana, José Alvarez-Sabín, Joan Montaner
• Journal: European neurology (Eur Neurol) Vol. 65 Issue 2 Pg. 82-7 ( 2011) ISSN: 1421-9913 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 21346358 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Fibrinolytic Agents
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Cerebral Hemorrhage (complications)
• Female
• Fibrinolytic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Infections (complications)
• Male
• Retrospective Studies
• Stroke (complications, drug therapy)
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator (therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome