11 Sep Severe Stroke and IV-tPA Treatment

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
R. Gilberto González, MD, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital
Department of Radiology, PO Box 9657
Boston, MA

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?

Dr. González: Administration of IV tPA to patients with a severe stroke syndrome caused by occlusion of the distal internal carotid artery and/or the proximal middle cerebral arteries results in good outcomes in 35% compared to 17% of similar patients who did not receive tPA.

MedicalResearch.com: Were any of the findings unexpected?

Dr. González:  The high rate of good outcomes was unexpected.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Dr. González: IV tPA can double the rate of good outcomes in patients with major artery occlusions.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Dr. González: Clinical research on producing better outcomes in the class of stroke patients using other methods such as endovascular recanalization should use this outcome rate in estimating sample sizes if comparison with IV tPA is being considered.

Citation:

Good Outcome Rate of 35% in IV-tPA–Treated Patients With Computed Tomography Angiography Confirmed Severe Anterior Circulation Occlusive Stroke

R. Gilberto González, Karen L. Furie, Gregory V. Goldmacher, Wade S. Smith, Shervin Kamalian, Seyedmehdi Payabvash, Gordon J. Harris, Elkan F. Halpern, Walter J. Koroshetz, Erica C.S. Camargo, William P. Dillon, and Michael H. Lev

Stroke. 2013;STROKEAHA.113.001938published online before print September 3 2013, doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.113.001938

Last Updated on February 18, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD