Thrombolysis for acute stroke

January 01, 0001

Thrombolysis for acute stroke

The aim of this study by researchers from Australia and Sweden was to report Australian outcomes from the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke International Stroke Thrombolysis Register (SITS-ISTR), being an observational study using data collected prospectively from December 2002 to December 2008. During the study period, a total of 32 countries participated, and confirmed baseline data were available for 581 Australian patients and 20,953 patients in the rest of the world.

Australian patients were older, were less independent before stroke and had more comorbidities and more severe strokes. Comparing the Australian cohort with the rest of the world, the odds ratio of 3-month modified Rankin score (mRS) of 0-2 was 0.98, the odds ratio of symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) was 0.98 and the odds ratio of death was 1.04. Good outcome in the Australian cohort was predicted by younger age, presence of hyperlipidaemia, lower premorbid mRS, absence of infarct on early brain imaging, less severe stroke, and lower baseline blood glucose level.

The researchers concluded: "Clinical outcomes after thrombolysis in Australia were similar to those worldwide."

This is not just about Australia, but the improvement in this area worldwide.


For the full abstract, click here.

MJA 193(8):439-443, 18 October 2010 © The Medical Journal of Australia 2010
Thrombolysis for acute stroke in Australia: outcomes from the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke registry (2002-2008). Marion A Simpson, Helen M Dewey, Leonid Churilov et al. Correspondence to Marion Simpson:

Category: N. Neurological. Keywords: thrombolysis, acute stroke, Australia, registry, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 12 November 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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