PROACT II trial

Last reviewed 01/2018

Prolyse in Acute Cerebral Thromboembolism II included patients with arteriographically confirmed occlusion of the middle cerebral artery or first order branch.

12,323 patients were screened, 474 underwent arteriography, 180 were enrolled and 121 received local intrarterial prourokinase and low dose intravenous heparin within 6 hours of symptom onset, 59 received low dose intravenous heparin alone.

40% of patients treated with prourokinase were able to live independently at 3 months whilst only 25% acheived this in the heparin-only group.

Intracerebral haemorrhage and neurologic deterioration occurred in 10% of the prourokinase patients compared to 2% of the heparin only group.

Reference:

  • (1) Brott, Bogousslavsky (2000). Treatment of acute ischaemic stroke. NEJM, 343, 710-722