Table 2.

ECASS I Exclusion Criteria

Severe hemispheric stoke syndrome

Mild neurologic deficit defined as SSS > 50

Patient is already improving

Patient does not meet the 6-h time window

Pre-existing disabling neurologic disease

Concomitant medical conditions such as esophageal varices, gastroduodenal ulcer, colitis, aortic aneurysm

Recent trauma, operation or punctures (within 3 months)

Computed tomography (CT) scan documented intracranial or intracerebral hemorrhage

Major early infarct signs on CT scans such as diffuse swelling of affected hemisphere, parenchymal hypodensity, or effacement of cerebral sulci in more than 33% of the MCA territory

ECASS = European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study; SSS = Scandinavian Stroke Scale; MCA= middle cerebral artery.