Effectiveness and safety of abciximab after failed thrombolytic therapy

Among 214 patients treated with abciximab within 24 hours of full-dose thrombolytic therapy, major bleeding occurred in 50 patients (23%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 18% to 30%) and intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 3 patients (1.4%; 95% CI 0.3% to 4%). The independent multivariate predictors of major bleeding were age (odds ratio [OR] 1.53/10 years, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.21, p = 0.03), time from thrombolytic to abciximab (OR 0.91/hour, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.99, p = 0.03), and intra-aortic balloon pump insertion (OR 4.42, 95% CI 2.00 to 9.72, p = 0.0002).