Abstract P27: Safety and Efficacy of Alteplase in Ischemic Stroke Patients > 80 Years of Age in the Extended Time Window

While patients > 80 years of age were originally excluded from the ECASS 3 trial showing benefit in the 3 – 4.5-hour window, recent studies have shown that intravenous alteplase is safe and benefits this population. We aimed to assess safety and efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis in stroke patients above 80 presenting both in the 3 and 3 – 4.5-hour windows. We analyzed data from 3 comprehensive stroke centers in the US of consecutive patients > 80 years of age presenting with acute ischemic stroke who received intravenous alteplase in both the 3 and 4.5-hour time windows over a 3-year period. We collected baseline demographic data, stroke severity as assessed by NIHSS scores, and use of mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Primary outcome was symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, as defined by ECASS 2 criteria (hemorrhagic transformation post thrombolysis with worsening of NIHSS score by ≥ 4 points). Secondary outcomes included assessment of efficacy, evaluated by good functional outcome (mRS 0 – 2) at time of discharge. We identified 418 patients with ischemic stroke above 80 years (64.8% women) who received alteplase: 344 (82.3%) within 3 hour and 74 (17.7%) in the 3 to 4.5-hour window, with similar stroke severity by NIHSS scores (median [IQR] 13 [12-32] vs. 12 [6-20], p = 0.87). In addition, 147 patients received MT, 128 (37.2%) versus 19 (25.7%), (p= 0.059) in the 3 and 3-4.5-hour groups. The overall rate of sICH was 6.1% and 4.0% (p = 0.49), in the 3 and 3-4.5-hour groups, respectively. Good functional outcome was achieved in 16.7% at time of discharge, for 17.7% in the 3-hour group and for 12.2% in the 3 – 4.5-hour group (p= 0.24). In our multi-center cohort, the use of alteplase in patients above 80 was safe, with low sICH rates similar to the literature, irrespective of age. Given the rare occurrence of our primary outcome in a selected cohort of acute stroke patients, our study was not powered to detect a possible significant difference in sICH.

Duke Scholars

Author Brian C. Mac Grory Neurology, Stroke and Vascular Neurology