Objective To compare the efficacy of low dose recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) thrombolysis with primary coronary stenting after acute myocardial infarction.Methods Of 261 patients with first acute myocardial infarction, 131 were given low dose rt-PA intravenous thrombolysis, and 130 primary coronary stenting.Results The age, time from onset of chest pain to hospital presentation and infarct location between these two groups were comparable. The patency rate of the infarct-related artery (IRA) in patients in the thrombolysis group was significantly lower than that of patients in the primary stenting group (P