Background and purpose: Intraventricular clot secondary to brain hemorrhage has still one of the worst prognosis among all stroke subtypes, regardless of conservative therapy or surgical interventions. The rapid clot resolution with thrombolytic agents could improve the outcome by restoring the impaired cerebrospinal fluid circulation, for this reason, the authors examined the safety and efficacy of Urokinase therapy in a randomized, controlled study.
Methods: They enrolled 27 patients with severe intraventricular hemorrhage between 1998 and 2002. All patients had supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage caused by hypertension, with IVH, moreover clinically worsening course due to the obstructive hydrocephalus confirmed by CT. Eleven persons were treated with ventriculostomy alone and 16 received adjunctive intraventricular urokinase. The authors examined the early, 30-day and 1-year mortality, furthermore the neurological (Scandinavian Stroke Scale) and functional outcome (Barthel Scale). The mean age was 60 +/- 9.5. The initial Scandinavian Stroke Scale was 7.51 +/- 8.64, Glasgow Coma Scale was 6.85 +/- 2.52, intracerebral hemorrhage volume was 22.44 +/- 18.14 ml.
Results: The 1 year survival rate was significant higher in the urokinase treated group (p = 0.014), This tendency in the mortality (31.3% vs. 54.5%) and in the neurological/functional condition (SSS, p = 0.078/Barthel, p = 0.119) at 30th day have been also documented. No hemorrhagic complications due to urokinase were observed. Two meningitis (7.4%) and two intraparenchymal hemorrhages (7.4%) related to drain insertion were detected (p = 0.009). The probability of pulmonary infection was roughly two times higher in the group without clot lysis (RR = 1.870; 95% CI: 1.004-3.482).
Conclusions: In the authors experience, urokinase treatment reveals to be safe in the intraventricular clot lysis. This therapy allows earlier mobilization and rehabilitation, and decreases the number of infections, which are favorable to the long-term survival rate.