Long-Term Survival After Ischaemic Stroke: Ebrictus Study

A number of large trials have confirmed the benefits of thrombolysis in acute stroke, but there are gender differences. The authors sought to examine the relationship between sex and outcome after thrombolysis. Previous reports \[1-6\] concerning sex-related differences in stroke management and outcome are inconsistent and sometimes difficult to interpret, and so the reasons for gender disparities in stroke outcome have remained unclear. Functional outcomes and quality of life after stroke are consistently poorer in women despite adjustment for baseline differences in age and prestroke function, and the fact that comorbidities and clinical outcomes were not different between women and men \[3, 7\] . Once the reasons for these differences are better understood, intervention might be possible to help provide the best care for all patients. This work is a continuation and extension of the Ebrictus Study \[8-10\] . Prior work has suggested sex-based differences in thrombolytic therapy in subjects with acute stroke \[11\] .The authors will explore whether sex might modify the effect of thrombolysis on survival and functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke \[12\] beyond the usually evaluated time period of 6 months after stroke and compared this with the group without thrombolytic treatment.