title: Efficacy and tolerance of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in patients with thrombotic or embolic occlusions of leg-arteries.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was evaluated in 46 patients with thromboembolic arterial occlusions in leg arteries. rt-PA was given over 1-4 h with a maximum dose of 18 mg. The effect of rt-PA treatment was determined as patency of the occluded arteries in 44 different patients 14 days after treatment. In 41 patients at least one artery was recanalized (93%) by rt-PA, and in almost half of these patients (48%) no residual stenosis were detected after the lytic treatment. A slight residual stenosis was detected in 29% of the patients and a severe residual stenosis in 21%. An additional treatment with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was performed in 23 of the 44 patients and successful in 21 (91%). In 8 patients an addition catheter-embolectomy was performed. No difference in patency rate was detected between patients with thrombotic and those with embolic occlusions. The age of the occlusion influenced the patency rate; occlusions under the age of 5 weeks showed a patency rate of 96% compared to 82% in older occlusions. The length of the occlusion did not have any influence on the outcome of the rt-PA treatment. From the results of this open study we conclude that a dose of up to 18 mg of rt-PA is both safe and effective in the treatment of thromboembolic occlusions in leg arteries.
authors: Medizinische Poliklinik, Universität München.
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Spengel
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Küffer
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Stiegler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator