Intravenous thrombolytic treatment experiences in patients with acute ischemic stroke at the University of Kocatepe, Neurology Clinics

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to discuss the results of the intravenous thrombolytic treatment (IV-tPA) to acute ischemic stroke patients, in the light of the literature. METHODS: We performed our study with forty acute ischemic stroke patients who were receiving the IV-tPA in the intensive care unit of our neurology clinic between 2011 and 2015.. The demographic, clinical and radiological data were collected retrospectively. The intracranial hemorrhage detected within 3 months after discharge and neurological status at the end of the 3rd month were evaluated by using modified Rankin scale (MRS) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores. The symptom-to-needle time, Alberta stroke programe early computed tomography score (ASPECT) and initial and follow-up scores of NIHSS were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were female, twenty-five were male, and the mean age was 66.45±10.56. The initial mean NIHSS score was 13±4.33, whereas it was 4,10±3,37at 3rd month. The initial mean ASPECT score was 8.23±1.20. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was detected in 1 patient and asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was detected in 6. The mean symptom-to-needle time was 139,0±48,1 minutes. The neurological disability of 13 patients ( %32.5) were fully recovered at the end of the 3rd month, while 7 patients were died. (% 17,5) The initial NIHSS and ASPECT scores were significantly different between group of patients with a MRS score between 0-2 and between 3-6 (p=0.03 and p=0.006; respectively), while the symptom-to-needle time was not different (p=0.79). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results of the current study are in accordance with previous studies in the literature. These results have shown that the IV-tPA treatment is efficient and safe treatment modality in acute ischemic stroke, and reduces disability at the end of the 3rd month