title: Should Age Limit the Use of Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis: Results of National Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether advanced age should be a contraindication to catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) based on hemorrhagic complication rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was generated via Survey Monkey and sent out to vascular surgeons who were members of the society of vascular surgery (SVS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the responders, 32.7% state they do not have an age limit for tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) infusion, and the remaining 29.2% of the responders use 80 years of age as their limitation. When asked why place limits on age for TPA infusion, 56.6% stated concern for intracranial hemorrhage. Major complications were access site hemorrhage (58.4%) and intracranial hemorrhage (41.6%). Chi-square analysis did not show age as a limiting factor to thrombolysis. Furthermore, when asked in which age-group complications occurred most commonly, 72.4% were less than 80.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among vascular specialist, there seems to be no consensus on age limitations for TPA infusion. Serious complications do not seem to be age related and thus age alone should not be a contraindication for catheter-directed thrombolysis.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA omaralnouri@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Al-Nouri
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinacore
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Pegge
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Halandras
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hershberger
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D032921:Consensus; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator
keywords: complication; hemorrhage; limb ischemia; thrombosis