Chonnam Med J.  2012 Apr;48(1):52-56. 10.4068/cmj.2012.48.1.52.

Outcome Evaluation of Intravenous Infusion of Urokinase for Acute Ischemic Stroke

• Lee RS
• Ok YC
• Lim JS
• Lim BC
• Cho KY
• Lee MC

• KMID: 2274882
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4068/cmj.2012.48.1.52

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effect of a continuous infusion of urokinase in cerebral stoke patients who were late admitted over 6 hours after onset. From January to December in 2008, acute cerebral stroke patients (n=143) treated with intravenous urokinase infusion (Group I, n=93) or not (Group II, n=50) after 6 hours and within 72 hours of stroke onset were reviewed. Continuous intravenous infusion of urokinase was done for 5 days. The clinical outcome for each patient was evaluated by using the modified National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) on admission and on the day of discharge. The NIHSS score was decreased at discharge compared with admission in the urokinase treatment group (Group I; from 4.8+/-2.2 to 3.8+/-1.9; p=0.002). There was an improvement in the patients who initiated urokinase treatment within 24 hours from stroke onset in Group I (from 5.1+/-1.9 to 3.9+/-1.5; p=0.04). In patients with initiated urokinase treatment within 24 hours from stroke onset, intravenous urokinase infusion could be an effective modality in acute ischemic stroke patients admitted later than 6 hours after onset.

Keyword

Stroke; Urokinase; Brain

MeSH Terms

Brain
Humans
Infusions, Intravenous
National Institutes of Health (U.S.)
Stroke
Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator
Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Figure

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  FIG. 1 Changes in the NIHSS score in the two groups. There was a significant decrease in the NIHSS score at discharge in the urokinase treatment group (Group I). There was no significant difference before and after treatment in Group II. *p<0.05. NIHSS: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Group I: urokinase treatment group, Group II: non-urokinase-treatment group.

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  FIG. 2 Changes in the NIHSS score in Group I and Group II according to treatment start time. There was a significant decrease in the NIHSS score in group I with early treatment, no later than 24 hours after onset (6-24 hours). *p<0.05. NIHSS: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Group I: urokinase treatment group, Group II: non-urokinase-treatment group.

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