[Prognosis of return to work after streptokinase-treated acute myocardial infarction].

In order to assess the impact of thrombolytic therapy on return to work 18 months after a first myocardial infarction 32 patients treated with streptokinase were compared to 30 patients not treated with streptokinase. The study was designed as a historical cohort study. The patients in both groups had continuous chest pain of less than six hours prior to admission and electrocardiographic changes consistent with acute myocardial infarction. The two groups were comparable with respect to medical variables related to their myocardial infarction and to educational level. A total of 17 patients (53%) in the streptokinase group and 16 (53%) among controls had stopped working 18 months after their MI. An association between the treatment and the working status could not be found (relative risk = 1.0) nor could it be found if the figures were corrected for deaths and retirements because of age. In conclusion, this study could not demonstrate any beneficial effect of thrombolytic therapy on the return to work 18 months after an initial myocardial infarction.