title: Eligibility of patients with acute myocardial infarction for thrombolytic therapy: retrospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the eligibility of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) for thrombolytic therapy (TT) and evaluate the results of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis included 366 patients with AMI, mean age 66+/-11 years, treated in 1999. We analyzed age, gender, previous infarction, previous TT, present TT with streptokinase and its effects on the course and outcome, pain-to-door time, and door-to-needle time. Reperfusion and reocclusion were evaluated non-invasively according to the occurrence of the reperfusion and reocclusion syndrome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred patients (27%) underwent TT. It was less frequently applied in older patients, women, and patients with previous myocardial infarction. Reperfusion was achieved in 66 (66%) patients and reocclusion occurred in 9 (14%). Final outcome was successful in 57 (57%) patients. The TT group had more frequent arrhythmias (67% vs. 41%, p<0.001) and less frequent heart failure (20% vs. 39%, p<0.001) than the patients without TT. The mortality after TT was significantly lower (7% vs. 17%, p=0.015), without fatal outcome in patients with finally successful TT. Reasons against TT application were late arrival to hospital (51%) and contraindications for TT (34%). In patients without TT, the median pain-to-door time and door-to-needle time were significantly longer than in the TT group (7 vs. 2.5 hours and 55 vs. 20 min, respectively; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older age, female gender, previous myocardial infarction, and late arrival to the CCU negatively influence the use of TT in AMI. TT should be improved by shortening pain-to-door time, broadening indications, and limiting contraindications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center Rijeka, Kresimirova 42, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia. luka.zaputovic@mamed.medri.hr
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaputović
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mavrić
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mlinarić
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kupanovac
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matana
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marinović
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D013300:Streptokinase