Aggressive therapy with intravenous abciximab and intra-arterial rtPA and additional PTA/stenting improves clinical outcome in acute vertebrobasilar occlusion : Combined local fibrinolysis and intravenous abciximab in acute vertebrobasilar stroke treatment (FAST) results of a multicenter study

• Published in: Stroke (1970) 2005-06, Vol.36 (6), p.1160-1165
• Main Authors: ECKERT, Bemd, KOCH, Christoph, THOMALLA, Götz, KUCINSKI, Thomas, GRZYSKA, Ulrich, ROETHER, Joachim, ALFKE, Karsten, JANSEN, Olav, ZEUMER, Hemnann
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiography - methods; Angioplasty; Angioplasty, Balloon - methods; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Platelets - drug effects; Blood. Blood coagulation. Reticuloendothelial system; Cardiovascular system; Cohort Studies; Female; Fibrinolysis; Hemorrhage; Humans; Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments - administration & dosage; Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments - therapeutic use; Infusions, Intra-Arterial; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Stents; Stroke - therapy; Thrombolytic Therapy; Time Factors; Tissue Plasminogen Activator - administration & dosage; Tissue Plasminogen Activator - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Vasodilator agents. Cerebral vasodilators; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency - drug therapy; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency - therapy
• ISSN: 0039-2499; 1524-4628
• DOI: 10.1161/01.STR.0000165918.80812.1e

A combined therapy of local recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) fibrinolysis and intravenous Abciximab platelet inhibition with additional percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA)/stenting may improve recanalization and neurological outcome in patients with acute vertebrobasilar occlusion. Combined FAST therapy consisted on intravenous bolus of Abciximab (0.25 mg/kg) followed by a 12-hour infusion therapy (0.125 microg/kg per minute) and low-dose intra-arterial rtPA (median dosage: 20 mg, FAST cohort: N=47). The results were compared with a retrospective cohort, treated by intraarterial rtPA monotherapy (median dosage: 40 mg, rtPA cohort, N=41). Additional PTA/stenting was performed in case of severe residual stenosis. Recanalization success was classified according to the Trials in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) criteria: TIMI0/1, failed recanalization; TIMI2/3, successful recanalization. Bleeding complications were evaluated according to severe extracerebral hemorrhage (ECH), asymptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (AIH), and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SIH). Overall bleeding rate was higher under the combined therapy, but the SIH rate did not differ (FAST versus rtPA: ECH, 3% versus 0%; AIH, 32% versus 22%; SIH 13% versus 12%). Additional PTA/stenting was performed in 14 (FAST) versus 5 (rtPA) patients. TIMI2/3 recanalization rate was similar (FAST, 72%; rtPA, 68%), but TIMI3 rate was remarkably higher under combined therapy (FAST, 45%; rtPA, N=22%). Neurologic outcome appeared better under combined therapy (FAST versus rtPA: favorable outcome rate: 34% versus 17%) with a significantly lower mortality rate (FAST versus rtPA: 38% versus 68%; P=0.006). These results were consistent for embolic and atherothrombotic occlusions. Combined therapy of intravenous Abciximab and half dose intra-arterial rtPA with additional PTA/stenting appears to improve neurologic outcome in acute vertebrobasilar occlusion despite an increase of overall bleeding complications.