Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of alteplase in acute ischemic stroke for Chinese patients aged 75 years and elder.
Methods: A total of 32 patients aged 75 years and elder are selected from our departmental database of thrombolytic therapy from January 2005 to December 2008. The primary end points were the proportion of patients with a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 0 to 1 at 3 months and the incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) within 36 hours.
Results: Among them, 12 had a mRS of 0 to 1 at 3 month and sICH occurred in 4 patients within 36 hours. The results were similar to those of NINDS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke) study.
Conclusion: An intravenous infusion of rt-PA at 0.6 mg/kg is probably efficacious and safe in the elder Chinese patients with acute ischemic stroke.