Background: Prostacyclin is an agent with a number of effects on platelets, blood vessels and nerve cells which might improve outcome after acute ischaemic stroke. NOTE: This review covers an area where no active research is taking place. It will be updated if relevant information becomes available, e.g. on completion of an appropriate study.
Objectives: The objective of this review was to assess the effect of prostacyclin or analogues on survival in people with acute ischaemic stroke.
Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched November 2003). For the first version, we also searched EMBASE (1980 to 1999), MEDLINE (1966 to 1999), Science Citation Index (1981 to 1999) and the Ottawa Stroke Trials Registry. We also contacted the manufacturers of prostacyclin and the principal investigators of the identified trials.
Selection criteria: Randomised trials comparing prostacyclin or analogues with placebo or control. Trials where people were entered within one week of stroke onset were included.
Data collection and analysis: Information on the methods of randomisation, blinding, analysis, the number of patients randomised, dose and timing of prostacyclin or analogue, patient withdrawals, the number of deaths occurring in each trial, and trial quality, were collected and assessed.
Main results: Five trials involving 191 people were included. Six early deaths (within four weeks) occurred with prostacyclin, and nine with placebo (odds ratio (OR) 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.22 to 1.85). One trial of 32 patients reported late deaths (by 10 to 18 months) in 50% of patients in each group.
Reviewers' conclusions: Too few patients have been studied in randomised trials to allow conclusions to be drawn about the effect of prostacyclin treatment on survival of people with acute stroke.