A Case-Control Study of the Effectiveness of Tissue Plasminogen Activator on 6 Month Patients—Reported Outcomes and Health Care Utilization

Abstract

We examined the benefit of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), delivered as part of usual stroke management, on patient-reported outcomes and healthcare utilization. Using a case control design, patients who received tPA as part of usual stroke management were compared with patients who would have received tPA had they arrived to the hospital within the therapeutic time window. Data were collected from surveys 6 months post stroke using standardized patient-reported outcome measures and questions about healthcare utilization. Demographic and medical data were acquired from hospital records. Patients were matched on stroke severity, age, race, and gender. Matching was done with 1:2 ratio of tPA to controls. Results were compared between groups with 1-tailed tests due to directionally-specific hypothesis in favor of the tPA group. The tPA (n = 78) and control (n = 156) groups were matched across the variables, except for stroke severity, which was better in the control group; subsequent analyses controlled for this mismatch. The tPA group reported better physical function, communication, cognitive ability, depressive symptomatology, and quality of life/participation compared to the control group. Fewer people in the tPA group reported skilled nursing facility stays, emergency department visits, and re-hospitalizations after their stroke compared to controls. Reports of other post-acute services were not different between groups. While it is known that tPA reduces disability, this is the first study to demonstrate the effectiveness of tPA in improving meaningful, patient-reported outcomes. Thus, use of tPA provides a large benefit to the daily lives of people with ischemic stroke.