Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke

Dear Editor, Stroke stands as the second-leading cause of death worldwide [1, 2]. Each year, over 12 million individuals are impacted by stroke, resulting in approximately 6.5 million fatalities [1]. Stroke globally ranks as the third-leading factor causing a combination of death and disability [...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Junaid Azhar, Ayesha Imran Butt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pakistan Medical Association 2024-10-01
Series:Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association
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Online Access:https://jpma.org.pk/index.php/public_html/article/view/20630
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author Muhammad Junaid Azhar
Ayesha Imran Butt
author_facet Muhammad Junaid Azhar
Ayesha Imran Butt
author_sort Muhammad Junaid Azhar
collection DOAJ
description Dear Editor, Stroke stands as the second-leading cause of death worldwide [1, 2]. Each year, over 12 million individuals are impacted by stroke, resulting in approximately 6.5 million fatalities [1]. Stroke globally ranks as the third-leading factor causing a combination of death and disability [2]. Every year, around seven hundred thousand individuals in the United States undergo an Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS), making up 85% of all stroke cases [2]. New treatments like intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy have cut mortality by 10% compared to older methods, enhancing long-term disability prevention rates following Acute Ischemic Stroke [2]. Alteplase is the sole FDA-approved thrombolytic drug in AIS within the first 4.5 hours. Despite its potential for disability-free recovery, its usage is constrained by a brief time window and adverse effects, notably a 6% risk of symptomatic bleeding. In addition, its fibrinolytic efficacy is limited, achieving vascular reopening in less than half of the patients, and can cause cytotoxicity to the already hypoxic brain with resultant cerebral edema [2]. Tenecteplase (TNK), a modified variant of alteplase, has improved features including greater fibrin selectivity and longer half-life and is given as a single bolus instead of an infusion, thanks to genetic recombinant technology [3]. Numerous studies have supported TNK's efficacy over alteplase in treating AIS. In 2016, Bruce C.V. Campbell and colleagues demonstrated that, according to the analysis of modified Rankin scale scores, tenecteplase exhibited a more favorable overall functional outcome compared to alteplase [4]. A dosage of 0.25 mg/kg of tenecteplase emerges as a promising alternative to replace alteplase as the preferred treatment for patients with AIS occurring within 4.5 hours due to TNK's superior early neurological recovery rates and comparable safety outcomes [3]. Despite gathering evidence from experimental trials indicating TNK's advantages over alteplase for AIS, the use of TNK at a dosage of 0.4 mg/kg appears to pose safety concerns when compared to alteplase [3]. Bruce C.V. Campbell and his fellow researchers revealed in their study that in spite of the beneficial effects of TNK relative to alteplase, there was no significant variation in the speed of recovery to independent function. Notably, they found no discernible distinction in the occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage [4]. ---Continue
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spelling doaj-art-52958dfaed364379aa6e607902b8d4c22025-08-20T03:39:57ZengPakistan Medical AssociationJournal of the Pakistan Medical Association0030-99822024-10-01741110.47391/JPMA.20630Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic StrokeMuhammad Junaid Azhar0Ayesha Imran Butt1Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, PakistanAllama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan Dear Editor, Stroke stands as the second-leading cause of death worldwide [1, 2]. Each year, over 12 million individuals are impacted by stroke, resulting in approximately 6.5 million fatalities [1]. Stroke globally ranks as the third-leading factor causing a combination of death and disability [2]. Every year, around seven hundred thousand individuals in the United States undergo an Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS), making up 85% of all stroke cases [2]. New treatments like intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy have cut mortality by 10% compared to older methods, enhancing long-term disability prevention rates following Acute Ischemic Stroke [2]. Alteplase is the sole FDA-approved thrombolytic drug in AIS within the first 4.5 hours. Despite its potential for disability-free recovery, its usage is constrained by a brief time window and adverse effects, notably a 6% risk of symptomatic bleeding. In addition, its fibrinolytic efficacy is limited, achieving vascular reopening in less than half of the patients, and can cause cytotoxicity to the already hypoxic brain with resultant cerebral edema [2]. Tenecteplase (TNK), a modified variant of alteplase, has improved features including greater fibrin selectivity and longer half-life and is given as a single bolus instead of an infusion, thanks to genetic recombinant technology [3]. Numerous studies have supported TNK's efficacy over alteplase in treating AIS. In 2016, Bruce C.V. Campbell and colleagues demonstrated that, according to the analysis of modified Rankin scale scores, tenecteplase exhibited a more favorable overall functional outcome compared to alteplase [4]. A dosage of 0.25 mg/kg of tenecteplase emerges as a promising alternative to replace alteplase as the preferred treatment for patients with AIS occurring within 4.5 hours due to TNK's superior early neurological recovery rates and comparable safety outcomes [3]. Despite gathering evidence from experimental trials indicating TNK's advantages over alteplase for AIS, the use of TNK at a dosage of 0.4 mg/kg appears to pose safety concerns when compared to alteplase [3]. Bruce C.V. Campbell and his fellow researchers revealed in their study that in spite of the beneficial effects of TNK relative to alteplase, there was no significant variation in the speed of recovery to independent function. Notably, they found no discernible distinction in the occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage [4]. ---Continue https://jpma.org.pk/index.php/public_html/article/view/20630AlteplaseTenecteplasePakistanStrokeAcute Ischemic Stroke
spellingShingle Muhammad Junaid Azhar
Ayesha Imran Butt
Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke
Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association
Alteplase
Tenecteplase
Pakistan
Stroke
Acute Ischemic Stroke
title Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke
title_full Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke
title_fullStr Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke
title_full_unstemmed Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke
title_short Alteplase vs. Tenecteplase: An In-depth Analysis of Their Relative Effectiveness in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke
title_sort alteplase vs tenecteplase an in depth analysis of their relative effectiveness in treating acute ischemic stroke
topic Alteplase
Tenecteplase
Pakistan
Stroke
Acute Ischemic Stroke
url https://jpma.org.pk/index.php/public_html/article/view/20630
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