1. Challenges of Thrombolysis in a Developing Country: Characteristics and Outcomes in Peru.
- Author
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Abanto C, Valencia A, Calle P, Barrientos D, Flores N, Novoa M, Ecos RL, Ramirez JA, Ulrich AK, Zunt JR, Tirschwell DL, and Wahlster S
- Subjects
- Administration, Intravenous, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Disability Evaluation, Feasibility Studies, Female, Fibrinolytic Agents adverse effects, Humans, Length of Stay, Male, Middle Aged, Peru, Prospective Studies, Quality Indicators, Health Care, Recovery of Function, Stroke diagnosis, Stroke physiopathology, Time Factors, Time-to-Treatment, Tissue Plasminogen Activator adverse effects, Treatment Outcome, Developing Countries, Fibrinolytic Agents administration & dosage, Stroke drug therapy, Thrombolytic Therapy adverse effects, Tissue Plasminogen Activator administration & dosage
- Abstract
Background: The availability of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) remains limited worldwide, especially in low-income countries, where the burden of disability due to ischemic stroke is the highest., Aims: To evaluate outcomes and safety of IV-tPA at the only Peruvian reference institute for neurologic diseases., Methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study of stroke patients who received IV-tPA between 2009 and 2016. We assessed characteristics associated with good outcome (modified Rankine scale 0-2) at 3 months using a multivariate regression model; and factors correlated with clinical improvement (delta National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)) using linear regression., Results: Only 1.98% (39/1,1962) of patients presenting with ischemic stroke received IV-tPA. Nearly half (41%) were younger than 60 years, 56.4 % were men, and most strokes were cardioembolic (46.2%). The majority (64.1%) were treated within 3-4.5 hours. The median NIHSS on admission and discharge was 9 and 4, respectively; 42.1% of patients had an mRS of 0-1 at 3 months. Three patients (7.7%) developed hemorrhagic conversion, and 1 patient died (2.6%). Patients with good outcomes had lower pretreatment systolic blood pressure (138.9 versus 158.1 mm Hg, P < .007), fewer complications during hospitalization (5 versus 9 events, P < .001), shorter hospital stay (14 versus 21 days, P < .03) and, paradoxically, longer last known well -to-door times (148.3 versus 105 minutes, P < .0022). Clinical improvement was associated with shorter door-to-tPA times and obesity., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that IV-tPA has similar safety and outcomes compared to developed countries. All internal metrics (door-to-tPA, door-to-CT, and CT-to-tPA time) improved over time, highlighting areas for future implementation science studies to further expedite the administration of IV-tPA., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2020
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