Update on the third international stroke trial (IST-3) of thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke and baseline features of the 3035 patients recruited

Table 2a Clinical characteristics at randomisation used in the minimisation algorithm

		No.	(%)
Region¹	NW Europe (UK, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland)	1589	(52%)
	Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden)	501	(17%)
	Australasia	179	(6%)
	Southern Europe (Italy, Portugal)	408	(13%)
	Eastern Europe (Poland)	347	(11%)
	Americas (Canada, Mexico)	11	(0%)
Sex	Female	1570	(52%)
	Male	1465	(48%)
Age	< = 70 years	697	(23%)
	> 70 years	2338	(77%)
Age (more detail)	18-50	127	(4%)
	51-60	203	(7%)
	61-70	367	(12%)
	71-80	721	(24%)
	81-90	1407	(46%)
	over 90	210	(7%)
NIHSS²	0 to 5	612	(20%)
	6 to 10	852	(28%)
	11 to 15	601	(20%)
	16 to 20	542	(18%)
	21 to 35	428	(14%)
Stroke syndrome	Other	2703	(89%)
	Lacunar	332	(11%)
Delay in randomisation	0-3 hours	849	(28%)
	> 3 hours	2186	(72%)
Delay (more detail)	0-3 hours	849	(28%)
	3-4.5 hours	1178	(39%)
	4.5-6 hours	1007	(33%)
	> 6 hours³	1	(0%)
Antiplatelet agents < = 48 hours before randomisation	Yes	1565	(52%)
	No	1470	(48%)

1. From January 2006, the randomisation procedure has been stratified by world region and minimises on prognostic factors within world region, using a random element.
2. For 244 patients in initial phase of the trial, NIHSS was not measured directly, but it was subsequently approximated using an algorithm (derived from subsequent patients in the trial based on clinical characteristics that were measured at baseline).
3. Protocol violation

ISSN: 1745-6215