Background The rt-PA is an effective therapy in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Well known complication of the treatment is intracranial bleeding (haemorrhagic transformation, or parenchymal haemorrhage) which can hinder the improvement and can be lethal.

Purpose Identifying the effect of anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs, taken before the stroke, on the intracranial haemorrhage rate after rt-PA treatment.

Material and methods The Debrecen Thrombolysis Database was used. Between the 1st of January 2004 and the 31st of December 2010, 415 patients were treated with rt-PA at the Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen. For the analysis 370 patients’ data was used, who fulfilled the protocol. Odds ratio (OR) and Relative risk (RR) were calculated.

ResultsComparing groups A and C: OR_{anticoagulants} = 1.48; 95% CI = 0.64–3.43; p = 0.358 and RR_{anticoagulants} = 1.386; 95% CI = 0.70–2.73; p = 0.346 are in the group which was pre-treated with anticoagulants. Among antiplatelet drugs users (B versus C) OR_{antiplatelet drugs} = 0.61; 95% CI = 0.17–2.1; p = 0.437 and RR_{antiplatelet drugs} = 0.649; 95% CI = 0.21–1.97; p = 0.447 were found. If those taking anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs were compared (A vs. B) OR_{anticoagulants/antiplatelet drugs} = 2.41; 95% CI = 0.58–9.98; p = 0.223 and RR_{anticoagulants/antiplatelet drugs} = 2.13; 95% CI = 0.61–7.39; p = 0.232.

Conclusion There was a non-significant trend that may suggest that antiplatelet therapy before stoke reduces the risk of intracranial bleeding, anticoagulant therapy increases it despite the acceptable INR level. Findings have to be confirmed on larger patient population.

References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.