Abstract
Background Timely treatment is important for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak may have caused delays in patient management. Therefore, we analyzed the prognosis and the time spent at the prehospital and hospital stages in managing patients diagnosed with AIS during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods This retrospective study evaluated patients diagnosed with AIS in the emergency department (ED) at five medical centers in Daegu city between February 18 and April 17 each year from 2018 to 2020. Data on the patients' clinical features and time spent on management were collected and compared according to COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 summaries. Results From a total of 533 patients diagnosed with AIS, 399 patients visited the ED before COVID-19 and 134 during the COVID-19 outbreak. During the COVID-19 outbreak, compared with pre-COVID-19, AIS patients had poor National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores at the initial hospital visit (6 vs. 4, p=0.013) and discharge (3 vs. 2, p=0.001). During the COVID-19 outbreak, the proportion of direct visits to hospitals through public emergency medical services (EMS) increased, and the onset of symptoms-to-ED door time via the public EMS was delayed (87 min vs. 68 min, p=0.006). Conclusions The prognosis of AIS patients during the COVID-19 outbreak was worse than that of pre-COVID-19 patients with delays at the prehospital stage, despite the need for timely care.
Highlights
Treatment is important for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS)
We investigated the delay in medical care and its impact on patients with AIS in Daegu city
We evaluated the differences in patients diagnosed with AIS who visited the emergency department (ED) during the COVID-19 outbreak and before the outbreak period and identified delays in management and associated outcomes. e prognosis of AIS patients during the COVID-19 outbreak period worsened when considering neurological outcomes and mortality, but there were no significant differences observed in workups and treatments performed after arrival at the hospital
Summary
Treatment is important for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak may have caused delays in patient management. erefore, we analyzed the prognosis and the time spent at the prehospital and hospital stages in managing patients diagnosed with AIS during the COVID-19 outbreak. Erefore, we analyzed the prognosis and the time spent at the prehospital and hospital stages in managing patients diagnosed with AIS during the COVID-19 outbreak. During the COVID-19 outbreak, compared with pre-COVID-19, AIS patients had poor National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores at the initial hospital visit (6 vs 4, p 0.013) and discharge (3 vs 2, p 0.001). During the COVID-19 outbreak, the proportion of direct visits to hospitals through public emergency medical services (EMS) increased, and the onset of symptoms-to-ED door time via the public EMS was delayed (87 min vs 68 min, p 0.006). E prognosis of AIS patients during the COVID-19 outbreak was worse than that of pre-COVID-19 patients with delays at the prehospital stage, despite the need for timely care Conclusions. e prognosis of AIS patients during the COVID-19 outbreak was worse than that of pre-COVID-19 patients with delays at the prehospital stage, despite the need for timely care
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