title: Bleeding complications associated with the use of rt-PA versus r-PA for peripheral arterial and venous thromboembolic occlusions.
abstract: This article analyzes the early experience with alteplase (rt-PA) and reteplase (r-PA) to identify noteworthy differences in bleeding and to determine correlations with dosage, concomitant anticoagulation, and duration of infusion. A retrospective review of the medical records was unavailable for the initial 82 patients who were treated with either rt-PA (44) or r-PA (38) for peripheral arterial or venous occlusions after urokinase therapy. Successful recanalization was achieved in 31/44 (70%) of the patients treated with rt-PA and in 34/38 (89%) of the patients treated with r-PA. Significant bleeding was documented in 20/44 (45%) of the rt-PA-treated patients (including 14 transfusions) versus 3/38 (8%) of the r-PA-treated patients (3 transfusions). Concomitant anticoagulation with either preceding warfarin (international normalized ratio > 1.1) or a bolus of heparin at the outset of the infusion was associated with significant bleeding in 13/17 (76%) of the rt-PA-treated patients (including 9 transfusions) versus 0/17 in the r-PA-treated patients. No significant correlation between either mean dose or total dose and bleeding was shown for either drug. Early experience indicates that r-PA is at least as effective as rt-PA for the thrombolysis of peripheral arterial and venous occlusions. It also appears that r-PA is less likely than rt-PA to be associated with significant bleeding during such infusions, especially if the patient is concomitantly anticoagulated.
authors: UCLA Medical Center, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, CHS B-2115, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1721, USA.
authors: T O
authors: TO
authors: McNamara
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Dong
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Quinn
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gomes
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Goodwin
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Aban
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006493:Heparin; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator