title: Intravenous thrombolytic therapy with a combination of single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator and recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: The effects of simultaneous intravenous infusions of 12 mg recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) over 30 minutes and 48 mg single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scuPA) over 40 minutes were studied in 38 patients with acute myocardial infarction. Coronary arterial patency was assessed angiographically 60 minutes and 90 minutes after initiation of treatment. Patency was achieved in 19 of 31 patients (61.3%) (95% confidence limits, 42-78%) at 60 minutes and in 27 of 33 patients (81.8%) (95% confidence limits, 65-93%) at 90 minutes. Nonspecific plasminogen activation was monitored by measuring relevant plasma parameters. At 60 minutes and 120 minutes, the fibrinogen concentration decreased slightly to 82.8 +/- 24.3% and 91.2 +/- 17.4% of the preinfusion level, and the plasminogen concentration to 66.3 +/- 15.2% and 65.3 +/- 13.4%, respectively. A greater consumption of alpha 2-antiplasmin was observed, which decreased to 30.7 +/- 22.8% and 32.2 +/- 21.2% of the preinfusion level at 60 and 120 minutes, respectively. No bleeding necessitating transfusion was observed. Two patients (5.3%) died during hospitalization. The findings suggest that the combined intravenous infusion of rt-PA and scuPA at appropriate doses induces highly effective coronary thrombolysis equal to the best results obtained with either rt-PA or scuPA alone. This efficacy is coupled with high specificity. Thus, the data support the potential use of combinations of rt-PA and scuPA in place of monotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Innere Medizin III (Kardiologie), Universität Heidelberg, FRG.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schönermark
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Richardt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gurewich
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kübler
mesh_terms: D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator