Ancrod for the treatment of acute ischemic brain infarction. The Ancrod Stroke Study Investigators.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

There is no acute therapy proven to be of benefit for ischemic stroke. Ancrod is a potentially effective therapy because of the advantageous consequences of fibrinogen lowering.

METHODS:

We studied the safety and efficacy of ancrod in patients with acute ischemic stroke administered within 6 hours of stroke onset. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial 64 patients received intravenous ancrod and 68 received placebo for 7 days. Neurological outcome, disability, and brain infarct volume were measured.

RESULTS:

There was no significant difference in overall mean scores on the Scandinavian Stroke Scale. No increase in bleeding occurred in the ancrod-treated patients. The target reduction of plasma fibrinogen levels of less than 100 mg/dL was achieved in only 15 (23%) of 64 ancrod-treated patients. Those patients with ancrod-induced 6-hour fibrinogen levels 130 mg/dL or less had a marginally significantly better neurological outcome on the Scandinavian Stroke Scale, mortality, and Barthel Index than ancrod-treated patients with higher fibrinogen levels.

CONCLUSIONS:

Ancrod appears safe and potentially effective when administered to patients within 6 hours of onset of ischemic stroke.

• Journal: Stroke (Stroke) Vol. 25 Issue 9 Pg. 1755-9 (Sep 1994) ISSN: 0039-2499 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8073455 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Placebos
• Ancrod

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Adult
• Aged
• Ancrod (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Brain (diagnostic imaging)
• Brain Ischemia (drug therapy, mortality, physiopathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Placebos
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Treatment Outcome