Successful intravenous thrombolysis in ischemic stroke caused by infective endocarditis.
BACKGROUND
Infective endocarditis can lead to serious neurological complications including ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage. Treatment with intravenous thrombolysis within 3 h of symptom onset has become the standard of care in acute ischemic stroke, but the safety and efficacy of this intervention in patients with infective endocarditis is unknown.


METHODS
We report the case of a patient with ischemic stroke who experienced substantial neurological improvement after being treated with intravenous thrombolysis (NIH stroke scale score of 15 on admission and 4 after treatment) and was subsequently found to have acute infective mitral endocarditis.


CONCLUSIONS
Favorable response to thrombolysis may occur in patients with stroke due to infectious endocarditis. The safety of this therapy remains to be established.
Junna
Mithri
M
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Mayo W8B, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Lin
Chang-Ching D
CC
Espinosa
Raul E
RE
Rabinstein
Alejandro A
AA
D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000150:complications; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator