Moving From Alteplase to Tenecteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Objectives: Tenecteplase is a fibrin-specific plasminogen activator that has shown promising results in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Tenecteplase has been suggested to reduce door-to-needle time and to increase the rate of spontaneous recanalization. In February 2021, Mayo Clinic Health System switched to Tenecteplase as the standard thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke. Methods: In this center-based observational cohort study, we present clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with tenecteplase between February 2021 and May 2022 compared with alteplase treatment between September 2019 and February 2021. We used descriptive and comparative statistics. Results: Baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. The incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was significantly less among the tenecteplase group (0.65% vs. 5%, P =0.027). Both groups had a similar door-to-needle time [55 (IQR 30.5) vs. 57 (IQR 38) in the tissue plasminogen activator group, P =0.395]. Spontaneous partial or complete recanalization was more commonly observed in the tenecteplase group (10.4% vs. 1.4%, P =0.038). Mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion was deferred due to marked clinical improvement more commonly in tenecteplase (6.3% vs. 1.4%); however, this difference was not statistically significant. Ninety-day modified Rankin Scale did not show a significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Tenecteplase use as the thrombolytic agent in acute ischemic stroke was associated with lower rates of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, higher rates of spontaneous recanalization, but similar door-to-needle time and 90-day modified Rankin Scale as compared with tissue plasminogen activator.