• Adam Kobayashi, Iwona Sarzyńska-Długosz, Maciej Niewada, Marta Skowrońska, and Anna Członkowska.
• II Klinika Neurologii, Instytut Psychiatrii i Neurologii, ul. Sobieskiego 9, 02-957 Warszawa.
• Neurol Neurochir Pol. 2006 Sep 1; 40 (5): 369-75.

Background And PurposeThrombolysis for acute ischaemic stoke was introduced and licensed in Poland in 2003. The aim of the study was to assess the potential eligibility of patients for intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). We also investigated whether widespread information about stroke and organisational changes in the 2nd Department of Neurology influenced eligibility and the number of treated patients.Materials And MethodsAn analysis of the 2nd Department of Neurology of the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology database of stroke patients admitted in the years 1995-2003 and 2003-2005 was performed. Eligibility for rt-PA treatment was assessed using the criteria outlined by the SITS (Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke) protocol. The number of patients eligible for thrombolysis was estimated and then compared with the number of treated patients.ResultsA total of 1541 patients with ischaemic stroke were admitted between 1 June 1995 and 1 November 2003, 18.7% within 2 hours of onset, 78% aged under 80. 4.6% of patients were found eligible for rt-PA. 552 ischaemic stroke patients were admitted between 1 November 2003 and 30 September 2005, 19.2% within 2 hours from onset, 71.6% under 80 years old. 6.9% were eligible for rt-PA, and 8.6% were treated.ConclusionAge and time from onset to admission were the most common exclusion criteria. The number of actually treated patients was higher than estimated. After providing the information about stroke symptoms there was a trend in decreasing time from onset to admission. Organizational changes increased the number of treated patients.

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