Published Online
on January 29, 2004

A more recent version of this article appeared on March 1, 2004

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Submitted on November 19, 2003
Accepted on November 20, 2003

Systemic Thrombolysis With Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Tirofiban in Acute Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Stefan Straub MD; Ulrich Junghans MD; Verica Jovanovic MD; Hans J. Wittsack PhD; Rüdiger J. Seitz MD; and Mario Siebler MD^*

From the Department of Neurology (S.S., U.J., V.J., R.J.S., M.S.) and Institute of Diagnostic Radiology (H.J.W.), University Hospital Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Siebler{at}uni-duesseldorf.de.

Background and Purpose--In acute ischemic stroke, thrombolytic treatment with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) is limited by a concomitant activation of the coagulatory system, leading to incomplete or delayed reperfusion, microcirculatory disturbances, or even repeated vessel occlusions. Our pilot study sought to assess the therapeutic potential of a new treatment strategy combining rtPA at reduced dosages with a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GPIIb/IIIa) inhibitory agent in acute middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Methods--Nineteen patients suffering from acute middle cerebral artery occlusion (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction [TIMI] flow grade 0 to 1) underwent combined intravenous thrombolytic treatment using rtPA at reduced dosages and the GPIIb/IIIa antagonist tirofiban. Stroke MRI (diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging) and MR angiography were performed at baseline and between days 1 and 2 after treatment. Clinical scores (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and modified Rankin Scale) were assessed at baseline and after 1 week.

Results--Middle cerebral artery recanalization (TIMI flow grade 2 and 3) occurred in 13 of 19 patients (68%). The ischemic lesion on follow-up MRI was significantly smaller in patients with recanalization compared with those without recanalization (P=0.001). Only patients with recanalization improved neurologically (P<0.001). Because no symptomatic hemorrhage was observed, the power of our study to detect a symptomatic bleeding rate of 8% was at least 80%.

Conclusions--Combined thrombolysis with a GPIIb/IIIa antagonist and rtPA at reduced dosages is promising but cannot be recommended for general use before prospective randomized clinical trials are completed.

Key words: intracranial embolism and thrombosis • magnetic resonance imaging • platelet glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa complex • tissue plasminogen activator

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