Thrombolysis with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator predicts a favorable discharge disposition in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Stroke 42(3):700-4 (2011) PMID 21293014 PMCID PMC3045629

Acute ischemic stroke patients who receive recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) within 3 hours of symptom onset are 30% more likely to have minimal to no disability at 3 months. During hospitalization, short-term disability is subjectively measured by discharge disposition, whether to home, inpatient rehabilitation, a skilled nursing facility, or subacute care. There are no studies assessing the role of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator use as a predictor of poststroke discharge disposition.