Thrombolysis for ischemic stroke associated with infective endocarditis: results from the nationwide inpatient sample.
OBJECTIVE
Cerebral ischemic events are highly prevalent and associated with high rates of death and disability in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). However, the role of thrombolysis in these patients remains unclear. We sought to determine the rates and outcomes of acute ischemic stroke patients with IE treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT).


METHODS
We determined the rates of post-thrombolytic intracerebral hemorrhage and favorable outcome among acute ischemic stroke patients with IE treated with IVT. Patients were identified using Nationwide Inpatient Sample data from 2002 to 2010. We compared the rates of various outcomes with ischemic stroke patients without IE treated with IVT.


RESULTS
There were 222 patients (mean age 59±18 years; 46% women) who were treated with IVT for acute ischemic stroke associated with IE and 134,048 patients (mean age 69±15 years; 49% women) who were treated for stroke without IE. The rate of post-thrombolytic intracerebral hemorrhage was significantly higher in patients with IE compared with those without IE (20% versus 6.5%; P=0.006). There was a significantly lower rate of favorable outcome in the IE group (10% versus 37%; P=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
High rates of post-thrombolytic intracerebral hemorrhage and low rates of favorable outcome mandate caution in using IVT in acute ischemic stroke patients with IE.
From the Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Research Center (G.A., M.M.A., A.I.Q.), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Ganesh
G
Asaithambi
Malik M
MM
Adil
Adnan I
AI
Qureshi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004696:Endocarditis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States
endocarditis; outcomes assessment; stroke; thrombolytic therapy