title: Return to Paid Work after Ischemic Stroke in Patients Treated with Intravenous Thrombolysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no available data confirming the efficacy of intravenous thrombolytic (IVT) treatment on the return to work as one of important outcome measure after acute ischemic stroke (IS). The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of IVT treatment on the return to work after stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  This matched cohort study included 279 patients with acute IS (146 treated with IVT and 133 matched patients without IVT) admitted to the Stroke Unit between 2007 and 2013. All patients were working in paid employment immediately before stroke onset. The main outcome measure was return to full-time paid work during follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a median follow-up period of 3 years (range 1-7 years), the prevalence of stroke survivors returning to paid work was 42.1% in the IVT group and 33.3% in the non-IVT group (hazard ratio 1.28, 95% CI 0.86-1.91), and IVT treatment was associated with a higher chance of returning to full-time jobs (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.21-3.51). After adjustment for possible variables, IVT was an independent predictor of returning to full-time jobs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IVT treatment was a positive predictor of returning to full-time work after stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department for Emergency Neurology of the Neurology Clinic, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stefanovic Budimkic
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pekmezovic
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beslac-Bumbasirevic
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ercegovac
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berisavac
authors.forename: Predrag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stanarcevic
authors.forename: Visnja
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Padjen
authors.forename: Dejana R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Jovanovic
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000328:Adult; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062707:Return to Work / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome