5 h of onset The third International Stroke Trial (IST-3) sought

5 h of onset. The third International Stroke Trial (IST-3) sought to determine whether a wider range of patients might benefit up to 6 h from stroke onset.

Methods In this international, multicentre, randomised, open-treatment trial, patients were allocated to 0.9 mg/kg intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen

activator (rt-PA) or to control. The primary analysis was of the proportion of patients alive and independent, as defined by an Oxford Handicap Score (OHS) of 0-2 at 6 months. The study is registered, ISRCTN25765518.

Findings 3035 patients were enrolled by 156 hospitals in 12 countries. All of these patients were included in the analyses (1515 in the rt-PA group vs 1520 in the control group), of whom 1617 (53%) Dorsomorphin were older than 80 years of age. At 6 months, 554 (37%) patients in the rt-PA group versus 534 (35%) in the control group were alive and independent (OHS 0-2; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.13, 95% CI 0.95-1.35, p=0.181; a non-significant absolute increase of 14/1000, 95% CI -20 to 48). An ordinal analysis showed a significant shift in OHS scores; common OR 1.27 (95% CI 1.10-1.47, p=0.001). Fatal or non-fatal symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage within 7 days occurred in 104 (7%) patients

in the rt-PA group versus 16 (1%) in the control group (adjusted OR 6.94, 95% CI 4.07-11.8; absolute excess 58/1000, 95% CI Selleckchem LXH254 44-72). More deaths occurred within 7 days in the rt-PA group (163 [11%]) than in the control group (107 [7%], adjusted OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.22-2.08, p=0.001; absolute increase 37/1000, 95% CI 17-57), but between 7 days and 6 months there Aurora Kinase were fewer deaths in the rt-PA group than in the control group, so that by 6 months, similar numbers, in total, had died (408 [27%] in the rt-PA group vs 407 [27%] in the control group).

Interpretation For the types of patient recruited in IST-3, despite the early hazards, thrombolysis within 6 h improved functional outcome. Benefit did not seem to be diminished in elderly patients.”
“BACKGROUND: The transfemoral approach is a common technique for coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms

in the anterior cerebral circulation. However, it is difficult to advance a guiding catheter into the carotid artery via the femoral route in patients with a tortuous aortic arch, an unfavorable supra-aortic takeoff, aortic diseases, or occlusion of the femoral artery.

OBJECTIVE: To report our initial experiences of coil embolization of cerebral aneurysms in the anterior cerebral circulation with a novel sheath guide for transbrachial carotid cannulation.

METHODS: A sheath guide designed specifically for transbrachial carotid cannulation was developed; transbrachial coil embolization for cerebral aneurysms began in May 2011. Included for analysis were patients who underwent transbrachial coil embolization for cerebral aneurysms in the anterior cerebral circulation from May 2011 to January 2012.

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