The safety and efficacy of thrombolysis for strokes after cardiac catheterization

The purpose of this study was to systematically compare clinical outcomes of patients treated with thrombolysis with those without treatment in a multi-year, multicenter cohort of strokes after cardiac catheterization.

Ischemic strokes after cardiac catheterization procedures, although uncommon, lead to the morbidity and mortality of thousands of patients each year. Despite the availability of Food and Drug Administration-approved thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke since 1996, thrombolysis remains unestablished in the setting of cardiac catheterization, owing to unique concerns regarding safety and efficacy.

Consecutive cases of ischemic stroke after cardiac catheterization were abstracted retrospectively and reviewed by clinicians at 7 major North American academic centers with acute stroke teams. Safety and efficacy outcome measures were pre-defined.

A total of 66 cases of ischemic strokes after cardiac catheterization were identified over 3 to 4 years; 12 (18%) were treated with thrombolysis, consisting of 7 intravenous and 5 intra-arterial recombinant tissue plasminogen activator cases. Improvement in stroke symptoms, as measured by the primary efficacy measure of median change in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score from baseline to 24 h, was greater in treated versus nontreated cases (p < 0.001). Additional secondary measures of efficacy also showed better outcomes in the treated group. There were no significant differences in bleeding events, defined as symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, hemopericardium, or other systemic bleeding resulting in hemodynamic instability or blood transfusions. Mortality rates were also similar.

Thrombolysis might improve early outcomes after post-catheterization strokes and seems safe in this context. Emergent cerebral revascularization should be a routine consideration.