title: Intravenous thrombolysis in Thai patients with acute ischemic stroke: role of aging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intravenous thrombolysis is a standard treatment in eligible acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. However, the advisability of treating patients >80 years of age is still debated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of aging on the outcomes in Thai patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with AIS treated with intravenous recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator (rtPA) between June 2007 and November 2010 were included. The demographics and measured outcome variables were compared between patients ≤70 and >70 years of age. Patients were also classified into 4 subgroups by the age ranges: ≤60 years, 61 to 70 years, 71 to 80 years, and ≥81 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred sixty-one patients were included. Seventeen patients (6.5%) were >80 years old. Higher mortality (20.2% vs 5.1%; P < .001) and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (7.7% vs 1.2%; P = .004) were found in the patients >70 years of age when compared with younger patients, and the rate of favorable outcome was lower (38.1% vs 55.4%; P = .010). Higher mortality rates were seen with increasing age: 3%, 8%, 20%, and 21% in patients aged ≤60, 61 to 70, 71 to 80, and ≥81 years of age, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thai stroke patients >70 years of age may carry a higher risk of mortality when treated with intravenous rtPA compared to patients ≤70 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand. pornpatr1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Pornpatr A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dharmasaroja
authors.forename: Sombat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muengtaweepongsa
authors.forename: Permphan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dharmasaroja
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D044466:Asian People; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator