Prospective randomized trial of high-dose bolus versus low-dose tissue plasminogen activator infusion in the management of acute limb ischaemia. Thrombolysis Study Group.
BACKGROUND
Accelerated thrombolysis with high-dose bolus tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may enable patients with more severe acute leg ischaemia to be treated without recourse to surgery. This study was a randomized comparison of two thrombolytic regimens.


METHODS
One hundred patients with acute leg ischaemia of less than 30 days' duration were randomized to receive either high-dose bolus tPA (three doses of 5 mg over 30 min, then 3.5 mg/h for up to 4 h, then 0.5-1.0 mg/h) or conventional low-dose tPA (0.5-1.0 mg/h). The groups were well matched for age, cardiovascular risk factors, duration and severity of ischaemia, site, cause and length of arterial occlusion.


RESULTS
The median duration of infusion in the high-dose group was 4.0 (range 0.25-46) h compared with 20 (range 2-46) h for low-dose infusion (P < 0.0001). Successful thrombolysis was achieved in 45 of 49 high-dose and 39 of 44 low-dose infusions but significantly more adjunctive procedures were required following high-dose bolus infusion (26 versus 16 patients) (P = 0.002). Thirty days after treatment was commenced, limb salvage was achieved in 39 of 49 patients in the high-dose group compared with 37 of 44 who had a low-dose infusion of tPA. Six and two patients respectively required amputation. Four patients in the high-dose group and five in the low-dose group died. Three patients in each group suffered a major haemorrhage and one in the low-dose group had a stroke.


CONCLUSIONS
High-dose bolus therapy significantly accelerated thrombolysis with tPA without compromising outcome. Some 50 per cent of patients were treated within 4 h enabling thrombolysis to be used as primary therapy for patients with acute critical ischaemia.
Braithwaite
B D
BD
Department of Surgery, Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Gloucester, UK.
Buckenham
T M
TM
Galland
R B
RB
Heather
B P
BP
Earnshaw
J J
JJ
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007511:Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator