Table. 2—

Characteristics of the included trials of streptokinase

Study [Ref.]	Quality score^#	Type of study	PE severity	Patients n	Thrombolytic^¶	Heparin dose
Hirsh *et al*. 26	1	Prospective open	Massive PE	17	250000 units IVI over 3 h, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ for 24 h	10000 units IVB, then 30000 units·24 h⁻¹ (APTT 1.5–2.5) interrupted only for streptokinase
				10	None (heparin only)
Miller *et al*. 27	1	Prospective open	Massive PE	15	600000 units IVI over 30 min, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ for 72 h	40000–60000 units·24 h⁻¹ (APTT 2–3)
				8	None (heparin only)
Tibbutt *et al*. 28	3	Unblinded RCT	Nonmassive and massive PE	13	600000 units IVI over 30 min, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ for 72 h	None
				17	None (heparin only)	5000 unit IVI over 30 min, then 2500 units·h⁻¹ for 72 h
UPET 29	2	Unblinded RCT	Nonmassive and massive PE	54	250000 units IVI over 20–30 min, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ for 24 h	IVI (dose not specified; Lee-White clotting time 30–45 min)
				59	Urokinase: 2000 units·lb⁻¹ over 10 min, then 2000 units·lb⁻¹·h⁻¹ for 12 h
				54	Urokinase: 2000 units·lb⁻¹ over 10 min, then 2000 units·lb⁻¹·h⁻¹ for 24 h
Gallus *et al*. 30	1	Prospective open	Massive PE	13	Mean 140000 units over 4 h, then mean 9800 units·h⁻¹ for mean 2.5 days	Mean 34000 units·24 h⁻¹ from t = 0 h (APTT 1.5–2)
Ly *et al*. 31	1	Unblinded RCT	Massive PE	14	250000 units IVI over 20 min, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ for 72 h	10000–30000 units·24 h⁻¹ at t = 72 h (APTT “therapeutic values”)
				11	None (heparin only)	15000 units IVB, then 30000 units·24 h⁻¹ (APTT “therapeutic values”)
Luomanmäki *et al*. 32	1	Prospective open	Massive PE	30	600000 units (n = 10) or 250000 units (n = 20) IVI over 30 min, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ for mean 32 h	IVI on completion of streptokinase IVI (rate and APTT range not reported)
Lund *et al*. 33	1	Prospective open	Nonmassive and massive PE	28	250000 unit IVB, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ for 12–122 h	None
				34	None (heparin only)	15000 units IVB, then 40000 units·24 h⁻¹ for 32–200 h (APTT range not reported)
				25	None (embolectomy only)	None (embolectomy only)
Jerjes-Sanchez *et al*. 5	3	Unblinded RCT	Massive PE	4	1.5×10⁶ units IVI over 1 h	10000 units IVB at t = 1 h, then 1000 units·h⁻¹ (APTT 2–2.5)
				4	None (heparin only)	10000 units IVB at t = 0 h, then 1000 units·h⁻¹ (APTT 2–2.5)
Meneveau *et al*. 21	2	Single-blind randomised trial	Massive PE	25	Alteplase: 10 mg IVB, then 90 mg IVI over 2 h	5000 unit IVB at t = 0 min, then 20 units·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ IVI (APTT 2–3)
				25	250000 units IVB over 15 min, then 100000 units·h⁻¹ IVI for 12 h	10 units·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ IVI from t = 12 h (APTT 2–3)
Meneveau *et al*. 22	2	Single-blind RCT	Massive PE	23	Alteplase: 10 mg IVB, then 90 mg IVI over 2 h	1000 unit·h⁻¹ IVI (APTT 2–3) at t = 2 h
				43	1.5×10⁶ units IVI over 2 h
Jerjes-Sanchez *et al*. 34	1	Prospective open	Massive PE	40	1.5×10⁶ units IVI over 1 h	10000 units IVB at t = 0 h, then 1000 units·h⁻¹ (APTT 2–2.5) from t = 1 h

PE: pulmonary embolism; RCT: randomised controlled trial; IVI: intravenous infusion; IVB: intravenous bolus; APTT: activated partial thromboplastin time; UPET: Urokinase-Streptokinase Embolism Trial. ^#: studies assessed using the scale by Jadad et al. 12; ^¶: streptokinase unless stated otherwise.