The Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Thrombolysis in Older Chinese Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

To study the efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis for the older acute ischemic stroke patients, clinical data were prospectively analyzed from 168 patients with acute ischemic stroke including 42 older adult patients (ET group), 66 younger patients (NET group) treated with rt-PA, and 60 older adult patients treated without rt-PA (ENT group). Stroke severity was assessed with an NIHSS score at baseline, 1-day and 14-day after treatment. Functional outcomes were evaluated by the modified Rankin scale and a Barthel index. Adverse effects were observed during the treatment. The rate of "good" prognosis was higher in the ET group than that in the ENT group at 90 days post-stroke. In older patients with stroke, thrombolytic therapy was found to be of greater benefit to patients with lower NIHSS scores at baseline, or patients classified as posterior circulation infarction, than for patients with higher NIHSS scores or infarctions located in other brain regions. Thrombolytic therapy may exhibit long-term efficacy by improving the future quality of life for older stroke patients with fewer bleeding risk factors and lower baseline NIHSS scores.