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

Table 2b Clinical characteristics at randomisation not used in minimisation algorithm, and recorded at randomisation

		No.	(%)
Cardiac rhythm	Sinus rhythm, not AF	2121	(70%)
	Atrial fibrillation	914	(30%)
Systolic BP at randomisation	< = 140 mmHg	897	(30%)
	141 to 180 mmHg	1738	(57%)
	> 180 mmHg	400	(13%)
	median (interquartile range)	155 (140, 170)
Diastolic BP at randomisation	< = 80 mmHg	1537	(51%)
	81 to 110 mmHg	1420	(47%)
	> 110 mmHg	78	(3%)
	median (interquartile range)	80 (71, 91)
Blood glucose¹	< 3.5 mmol/l	7	(0%)
	3.5-6 mmol/l	532	(18%)
	6-8 mmol/l	1654	(54%)
	> 8 mmol/l	559	(18%)
	not measured (old form)	283	(9%)
	median (interquartile range)	7.0 (6.0, 8.0)
Probability of being alive and independent at 6 m²	< 0.30	1383	(46%)
	> = 0.30	1652	(54%)
	median (interquartile range)	0.35 (0.12, 0.59)
Recruited at a centre with pre-trial experience³	Centres without pre-trial experience	1891	(62%)
	Centre with pre-trial experience	1144	(38%)
Doctor's opinion of scan at randomisation	Normal	1792	(59%)
	Possible evidence of recent ischaemic change	701	(23%)
	Definite evidence of recent ischaemic change	542	(18%)

1. For the first 282 patients, glucose was not recorded. After patient 282, it was collected at randomisation. Glucose therefore was not available for those 282 patients
2. Probability calculated with a validated prognostic model from baseline data [14].
3. Pre-trial experience of thrombolysis is defined as having had a protocol for open label rtPA and had treated at least 3 people in the 12 months before joining the trial; 76 (49%) centres met this criterion.

ISSN: 1745-6215