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Background: Worse socioeconomic situation is associated with worse outcomes in stroke cases. Whether it also influences outcomes in patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis remains unknown. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that outcomes are less favorable in patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis in Belgrade, Serbia, than in Lille, France. Methods: We compared outcomes at day 7 and month 3, between 123 consecutive stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis in Belgrade and 273 in Lille. Results: At month 3, there was no significant difference between Belgrade and Lille in patients’ excellent outcomes [modified Rankin Scale 0–1; 49.6 vs. 45.4%, odds ratio (OR): 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79–1.86] or in death (11.4 vs. 16.1%, OR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.35–1.27). However, compared with a subgroup of age-matched patients from Lille, Belgrade patients tended to have worse outcomes. Patients from Belgrade were 16 years younger (p < 0.0001), more likely to be men (OR 2.40, 95% CI: 1.52–3.78), and more likely to be smokers (OR 2.24, 95% CI: 1.43–3.51). Also, a trend for a slightly higher rate of symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation was registered in this group (7.3 vs. 3.3%, OR 2.32, 95% CI: 0.90–5.99). In Belgrade, patients arrived 27 min earlier to the hospital (p < 0.0001), but their door-to-needle time was 37 min longer (p < 0.0001). Compared with a subgroup of age-matched patients from Lille, they tended to have worse outcomes. Conclusion: Intravenous thrombolysis-treated stroke patients in Belgrade have similar outcomes and rates of complications as those from Lille.

Background: There are no available data confirming the efficacy of intravenous thrombolytic (IVT) treatment on the return to work as one of important outcome measure after acute ischemic stroke (IS). The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of IVT treatment on the return to work after stroke. Methods: This matched cohort study included 279 patients with acute IS (146 treated with IVT and 133 matched patients without IVT) admitted to the Stroke Unit between 2007 and 2013. All patients were working in paid employment immediately before stroke onset. The main outcome measure was return to full-time paid work during follow-up period. Results: After a median follow-up period of 3 years (range 1-7 years), the prevalence of stroke survivors returning to paid work was 42.1% in the IVT group and 33.3% in the non-IVT group (hazard ratio 1.28, 95% CI 0.86-1.91), and IVT treatment was associated with a higher chance of returning to full-time jobs (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.21-3.51). After adjustment for possible variables, IVT was an independent predictor of returning to full-time jobs. Conclusion: IVT treatment was a positive predictor of returning to full-time work after stroke.