All That Glitters Is Not Gold: The GISSI - III Trial

Abstract

The medical world had been waiting and holding its breath in suspense as to the outcome ofihe GISSI III trial. Well, itsfinally in and the gist ofthe results runs as below. The GISSI - III trial was set up to compare the efficacy of Sçpjçkinase vs r-tPA vs APSAC. Millions ofdollars and many a company’sfuture, and, more importantly, the not so chpafient’sfutwe was at stake. The results were as astounding as the ISIS - II results had been.As a side issue, a peculiarfact that is emergingfrom data on all thrombolytic agents is theparadoxical though small but definite INCREASE in mortality within thefirst twentyfour hours or sofollowing thrombolysis compared to placebo. The stage now seems setfor a debate on this interesting phenomenon (? epiphenomenon). All said and done it has yet again been proven that all that glitters is indeed not gold. Thanks heaven for that!