Acute Stroke Care Research Articles

Comparing characteristics and outcomes of in-hospital stroke and community-onset stroke (P7-5.028)

<h3>Objective:</h3> The study aims to analyze the characteristics of in-hospital strokes in comparison to community-onset strokes and provides evidence for the development of national in-patient stroke care systems. <h3>Background:</h3> In-hospital strokes account for 4–17% of all strokes and usually lead to urgent and severe conditions. However, features of in-hospital strokes have been scarcely reported in China, and the management systems of in-hospital strokes are unestablished. Evidence from the IHS population is in need to improve the management of in-hospital acute ischemic stroke. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with in-hospital strokes (IHS group) and community-onset strokes (COS group) hospitalized in our hospital between June 2012, and January 2022. Clinical characteristics, care measures, and outcomes were compared between the two groups. <h3>Results:</h3> A total of 1162 patients (age 61 ± 16 and 65% male) were included, of whom 193 (16.6%) had an in-hospital stroke and 969 (83.4%) had community-onset stroke. Compared with COS group, patients in IHS group had higher NIHSS at onset (7.25 vs 5.96, P = 0.054), higher use of endovascular therapy (10.4% vs 2.0%, P &lt; 0.001), and lower use of intravascular thrombolysis (1.6% vs 7.2%, P = 0.003). Also, in-hospital strokes were associated with lower rate of mRS0–2 at discharge (OR[95%CI] = 0.674[0.49, 0.926], P = 0.015) and increased in-hospital mobility (OR[95%CI] = 3.621[1.640, 7.996], P = 0.001), after adjusting for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Compared with community-onset strokes, the patients with in-hospital stroke had insufficient urgent treatment and poorer outcomes, reflecting the need for increased awareness of in-patient stroke, and strategies to streamline in-hospital acute stroke care. <b>Disclosure:</b> Zi-Yue Liu has nothing to disclose. Mr. Han has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wu has nothing to disclose. Ms. Sha has nothing to disclose. Ms. Hong has nothing to disclose. Han-Hui Fu has nothing to disclose. Lixin Zhou has nothing to disclose. Jun Ni has nothing to disclose. Yi-Cheng Zhu has nothing to disclose.

In-hospital Delays of Acute Ischaemic Stroke Treatment and Their Influence on Outcomes in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana (P7-5.004)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To identify causes of in-hospital delays in the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra, Ghana. <h3>Background:</h3> Management of acute ischemic stroke is time dependent. Most developing countries face both out-of-hospital and in-hospital delays in stroke care, even in hospitals like KBTH where intravenous tPA is available. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> This was a prospective cohort study of adults with ischemic stroke admitted to the KBTH stroke unit from November 2020 to June 2022. We used structured questionnaires to identify factors related to in-hospital care delays. NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) on all participants at admission and a phone-based modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 30 days after symptom onset. Participants were dichotomized into early (≤4.5 hours) and late (&gt;4.5 hours) presenters based on the time of presentation to the hospital after symptom onset. <h3>Results:</h3> Of 114 participants, average age was 62.6 ±13.4, 42.1% were male, and the average admission NIHSS for early and late presenters was 13.4 and 11.0, respectively(P=0.185). Most participants (70%) arrived at the hospital within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. However, only 1.3% received tPA. Median time from arrival at the emergency department to the doctor’s initial evaluation, CT scan completion, CT scan interpretation, and treatment initiation were 1.0 hours, 6.5 hours, 16.9 hours, and 9.8 hours, respectively. In-hospital delays were mostly due to late requests for CT scan (35%), and delays in transporting patients to the CT scan area. Average mRS at 30 days was 3.2 for early presenters and 2.5 for late presenters (p=0.032), but no differences in in-hospital outcomes were observed. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Stroke education campaigns and the availability of tPA are not sufficient to ensure patients are receiving the best evidence-based acute stroke care available. Health systems interventions are urgently needed to improve delivery of time-sensitive acute stroke interventions. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Duodu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brodie-Mends has nothing to disclose. Dr. Agbinko-Djobalar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pekyi-Boateng has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nkromah has nothing to disclose. Prof. Adjei has nothing to disclose. Dr. Akpalu has nothing to disclose.

Impact of Insurance on Acute Stroke Care Cost: A mediation analysis (P1-5.022)

<h3>Objective:</h3> We hypothesized that LOS mediates the association between insurance status and hospital costs for acute stroke patients. <h3>Background:</h3> Length of stay (LOS) is a key quality indicator for stroke hospitalization, impacting costs, resource allocation, and transitions of care. Insurance status often affects stroke LOS through delayed authorization for rehabilitation services. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> We queried data from a single comprehensive stroke center for all hospital admissions of adults (≥ 18 years) with any stroke (ICD10 I60–I69) from 2017 to 2021. We performed a mediation analysis using linear regression models to understand how much LOS carries the effect of various insurance plans on total acute stroke care cost using Medicare as the referent with age and race/ethnicity as covariates. We calculated non-parametric mediation metrics and bias-corrected-accelerated 95% confidence intervals from 10,000 bootstraps (p &lt;0.05). <h3>Results:</h3> The cohort included 3,604 hospitalized stroke patients: 52.16% men, median (IQR) age 68 (57 – 77) years. Median (IQR) LOS was 3 (1 – 7) days with a median (IQR) total admission cost of $67,426.10 ($37,610 – $132,077). Per patient estimated hospital costs compared to Medicare were lower for Medicaid (−$7,538.14; 95%CI [−$18,303, $3,226.72]; p 0.17) and self-pay (−$22,026.75; 95%CI [− $37,628.14, −$6,425.36]; p &lt;0.01), but higher for commercial plans ($11,139.60; 95%CI [$2,878.89, $19,400.30]; p &lt;0.01). LOS mediated 100% of the effect of Medicaid on hospital costs (p &lt; 0.01), but did not mediate costs for self-pay (p = 0.95) and commercial insurance (p = 0.32). <h3>Conclusions:</h3> In this single center analysis, length of stay fully mediated the effect of Medicaid on acute stroke hospital costs. Hospitals could possibly reduce stroke costs by improving Medicaid authorization and processing times. Further research is warranted to understand higher costs with commercial carriers compared to Medicare. <b>Disclosure:</b> Chad Aldridge has nothing to disclose. Mr. Victoria has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gusler has nothing to disclose. Miss Batton has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of University of Virginia. Dr. De Havenon has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for Integra. Dr. De Havenon has stock in Certus. The institution of Dr. De Havenon has received research support from NIH/NINDS. The institution of Dr. De Havenon has received research support from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The institution of Dr. De Havenon has received research support from AMAG Pharmaceuticals. The institution of Dr. De Havenon has received research support from AMGEN. Dr. De Havenon has received publishing royalties from a publication relating to health care. Dr. Southerland has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an Expert Witness for Plaintiffs and Defense Cases related to Stroke and Vascular Neurology.. The institution of Dr. Southerland has received research support from Diffusion Pharmaceuticals. The institution of Dr. Southerland has received research support from American Heart Association. The institution of Dr. Southerland has received research support from National Science Foundation. The institution of Dr. Southerland has received research support from NIH. The institution of Dr. Southerland has received research support from Abbvie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. Dr. Southerland has received intellectual property interests from a discovery or technology relating to health care. Dr. Southerland has received intellectual property interests from a discovery or technology relating to health care.

Establishing a Roadmap for Acute Stroke Care in the Caribbean Region: The Mission Thrombectomy 2020+ Caribbean Experience (P6-9.003)

Establishing a Roadmap for Acute Stroke Care in the Caribbean Region: The Mission Thrombectomy 2020+ Caribbean Experience (P6-9.003)

Developing DELPHI expert consensus rules for a digital twin model of acute stroke care in the neuro critical care unit

IntroductionDigital twins, a form of artificial intelligence, are virtual representations of the physical world. In the past 20 years, digital twins have been utilized to track wind turbines' operations, monitor spacecraft's status, and even create a model of the Earth for climate research. While digital twins hold much promise for the neurocritical care unit, the question remains on how to best establish the rules that govern these models. This model will expand on our group’s existing digital twin model for the treatment of sepsis.MethodsThe authors of this project collaborated to create a Direct Acyclic Graph (DAG) and an initial series of 20 DELPHI statements, each with six accompanying sub-statements that captured the pathophysiology surrounding the management of acute ischemic strokes in the practice of Neurocritical Care (NCC). Agreement from a panel of 18 experts in the field of NCC was collected through a 7-point Likert scale with consensus defined a-priori by ≥ 80% selection of a 6 (“agree”) or 7 (“strongly agree”). The endpoint of the study was defined as the completion of three separate rounds of DELPHI consensus. DELPHI statements that had met consensus would not be included in subsequent rounds of DELPHI consensus. The authors refined DELPHI statements that did not reach consensus with the guidance of de-identified expert comments for subsequent rounds of DELPHI. All DELPHI statements that reached consensus by the end of three rounds of DELPHI consensus would go on to be used to inform the construction of the digital twin model.ResultsAfter the completion of three rounds of DELPHI, 93 (77.5%) statements reached consensus, 11 (9.2%) statements were excluded, and 16 (13.3%) statements did not reach a consensus of the original 120 DELPHI statements.ConclusionThis descriptive study demonstrates the use of the DELPHI process to generate consensus among experts and establish a set of rules for the development of a digital twin model for use in the neurologic ICU. Compared to associative models of AI, which develop rules based on finding associations in datasets, digital twin AI created by the DELPHI process are easily interpretable models based on a current understanding of underlying physiology.

The impact of race and ethnicity on acute telestroke care: A multistate experience

Previous analyses suggest that ethnic and racial differences exist in acute stroke care including thrombolytic treatment rates. The current study evaluates ethnic or racial differences in acute stroke treatment within a multi-state telestroke program. Acute telestroke consultations seen in the Emergency Department in 203 facilities and 23 states were extracted from the Telecare by TeleSpecialistsTM database. Cases were reviewed for age, race, ethnicity, sex, last known normal time, arrival time, treatment with thrombolytic therapy, door-to-needle (DTN) time, and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. Race was defined as Black, White, or Other; ethnicity was defined as Hispanic or non-Hispanic. The current study included 13,221 acute telestroke consultations consisting of 9890 White, 2048 Black, and 1283 patients classified as Other. A total of 934 patients were Hispanic and 12,287 patients were non-Hispanic. There were no statistically significant differences noted in thrombolytic treatment rates when comparing White (7.9%) patients with non-White patients (7.4%), p = 0.36, or comparing Black (8.1%) with non-Black patients (7.8%), p = 0.59. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in treatment rates comparing Hispanic (6.3%) with non-Hispanic (7.9%) patients, p = 0.072. We noted no measurable differences in DTN times by race or ethnicity. Contrary to previous reports, we failed to detect any significant differences in thrombolytic treatment rates and DTN times by race or ethnicity among stroke patients in a multistate telestroke program. These findings support the hypothesis that telestroke may mitigate racial and ethnic disparities which may be attributable to local variability in stroke procedures or access to healthcare.

Variation in US acute ischemic stroke treatment by hospital regions: limited endovascular access despite evidence

BackgroundAlthough national organizations recognize the importance of regionalized acute ischemic stroke (AIS) care, data informing expansion are sparse. We assessed real-world regional variation in emergent AIS treatment, including growth in...

Validity of Early Outcomes as Indicators for Comparing Hospitals on Quality of Stroke Care.

Background Insight into outcome variation between hospitals could help to improve quality of care. We aimed to assess the validity of early outcomes as quality indicators for acute ischemic stroke care for patients treated with endovascular therapy (EVT). Methods and Results We used data from the MR CLEAN (Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands)Registry, a large multicenter prospective cohort study including 3279 patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing EVT. Random effect linear and proportional odds regression were used to analyze the effect of case mix on between-hospital differences in 2 early outcomes: the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at 24 to 48 hours and the expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score. Between-hospital variation in outcomes was assessed using the variance of random hospital effects (tau2). In addition, we estimated the correlation between hospitals' EVT-patient volume and (case-mix-adjusted) outcomes. Both early outcomes and case-mix characteristics varied significantly across hospitals. Between-hospital variation in the expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score was not influenced by case-mix adjustment (tau 2=0.17 in both models). In contrast, for the NIHSS score at 24 to 48 hours, case-mix adjustment led to a decrease in variation between hospitals (tau 2 decreases from 0.19 to 0.17). Hospitals' EVT-patient volume was strongly correlated with higher expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction scores (r=0.48) and weakly with lower NIHSS score at 24 to 48 hours (r=0.15). Conclusions Between-hospital variation in NIHSS score at 24 to 48 hours is significantly influenced by case-mix but not by patient volume. In contrast, between-hospital variation in expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score is strongly influenced by EVT-patient volume but not by case-mix. Both outcomes may be suitable for comparing hospitals on quality of care, provided that adequate adjustment for case-mix is applied for NIHSS score.

Predictors of Discharge Destination After Stroke

Background Determining the discharge destination after acute stroke care is important to prevent long-term disabilities and improve cost efficiency. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate where stroke patients are discharged to after acute treatment and to identify personal, social, stroke-related, and clinical predictors of discharge destination. Methods The present study included a secondary exploratory analysis of a prospective observational study. Patients with acute ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or intracerebral hemorrhage were recruited consecutively over a 15-month period. A hierarchical multinomial logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of the primary outcome of discharge destination. Results We included 1026 stroke patients (48.7% female) with a mean age of 73.3 years (standard deviation 12.9 years) in the analysis. Overall, 55% of the patients were discharged home, 33% to a rehabilitation center, 3% to a residential facility, and 8% to another acute care hospital. Predictors that statistically significantly influenced the odds of the discharge destination were age, living situation pre-stroke, living location pre-stroke, stroke type, stroke severity, treatment type, and length of stay. Higher stroke severity was associated with discharge to all four inpatient facilities. Conclusions In line with previous research, predictors such as stroke severity and living situation pre-stroke significantly influenced the odds of the discharge destination. In contrast, pre-existing conditions and functional impairment pre-stroke had no significant impact on the primary outcome. This discrepancy could be due to a rather functional study sample before stroke and the use of clinical and patient-reported outcome measures.

Effect of inpatient rehabilitation facility care on ninety day modified Rankin score in ischemic stroke patients

ObjectiveTo determine Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) treatment effect on modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Materials and methodsThis prospective cross-sectional study included 738 AIS patients admitted 1/1/2018-12/31/2020 to a Comprehensive Stroke Center with a Stroke Rehabilitation program. We compared outcomes for patients who went directly home versus went to IRF at hospital discharge: (1) acute care length of stay (LOS), (2) National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, (3) mRS score at hospital discharge and 90 days, (4) the proportion of mRS scores ≤ 2 from hospital discharge to 90 days. ResultsAmong 738 patients, 499 went home, and 239 went to IRF. IRF patients were more likely to have increased acute LOS (10.7 vs 3.9 days; t-test, P<0.0001), increased mean NIHSS score (7.8 vs 4.8; t-test, P<0.0001) and higher median mRS score (3 vs 1, t-test, P<0.0001) compared to patients who went home. At 90 days, ischemic stroke patients who received IRF care were more likely to progress to a mRS ≤ 2 (18.7% increase) compared to patients discharged home from acute care (16.3% decrease). Home patients experienced a one-point decrease in mRS at 90 days compared to those who received IRF treatment (median mRS of 3 vs. 2, t-test, P<0.05). ConclusionsIn ischemic stroke patients, IRF treatment increased the likelihood of achieving mRS ≤ 2 at 90 days indicating the ability to live independently, and decreased the likelihood of mRS decrease, compared with patients discharged directly home after acute stroke care.

Stroke Care Pathway ensures high-quality stroke management in the COVID-19 pandemic

The aim of our study was to assess whether a well-established federal state-wide Stroke Care Pathway delivering high quality stroke care can cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and associated measures to contain the virus spread. The retrospective analysis is based on a prospective, quality-controlled, population-based registry of all stroke patients in the Tyrol, a federal state of Austria and one of the early hot-spots of COVID-19 in Europe. Patient characteristics, pre-hospital management, intra-hospital management and post-hospital were analysed. All residents of the Tyrol suffering ischemic stroke in 2020 (n = 1160) and four pre-COVID-19 years (n = 4321) were evaluated. In 2020, the annual number of stroke patients was the highest in this population-based registry. When local hospitals were overwhelmed with SARS-CoV-2-patients, stroke subjects were temporarily allocated to the comprehensive stroke centre. Stroke severity, quality metrics of stroke management, serious complications, and post-stroke mortality did not differ between 2020 and the four comparator years. Notably, iv. thrombolysis-rate was similar (19.9% versus 17.4%, P = 0.25) and endovascular stroke treatment even better (5.9% versus 3.9%, P = 0.003) but resources for in-patient rehabilitation were limited (25.8% versus 29.8%, P = 0.009). Concluding, a well-established Stroke Care Pathway was able to maintain high-quality acute stroke care even when challenged by a global pandemic.

Stroke advanced clinical practitioner and stroke specialist nurse: what is the difference?

The stroke advance clinical practitioner (ACP) and stroke specialist nurse (SSN) are two vitally important roles within the hyper acute stroke unit, acute stroke unit and spoke sites that provide acute stroke care for continued rehabilitation until the point of discharge. The SSN role has been developed over the past decade, whereas the ACP role is much newer. While there are similarities between the two roles, there are some core differences that allow the two roles to coexist and support one another. It is important to understand the two roles, the differences and how each will benefit from the other, as this will allow teams working within hyper acute stroke units and acute stroke units to work to their full potential, while ensuring professional and patient safety and enhancing job satisfaction and patient care.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Stroke Reperfusion Therapy in the USA.

Racial and ethnic inequities in stroke care are ubiquitous. Acute reperfusion therapies, i.e., IV thrombolysis (IVT) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT), are central to acute stroke care and are highly efficacious at preventing death and disability after stroke. Disparities in the use of IVT and MT in the USA are pervasive and contribute to worse outcomes among racial and ethnic minority individuals with ischemic stroke. A meticulous understanding of disparities and underlying root causes is necessary in order to develop targeted mitigation strategies with lasting effects. This review details racial and ethnic disparities in the use of IVT and MT after stroke and highlights inequities in the underlying process measures as well as the contributing root causes. Furthermore, this review spotlights the systemic and structural inequities that contribute to race-based differences in the use of IVT and MT, including geographic and regional differences and differences based on neighborhood, zip code, and hospital type. In addition, recent promising trends suggesting improvements in racial and ethnic IVT and MT disparities and potential approaches for future solutions to achieve equity in stroke care are briefly discussed.

Annual Endovascular Thrombectomy Case Volume and Thrombectomy-capable Hospitals of Korea in Acute Stroke Care.

Although it is difficult to define the quality of stroke care, acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients with moderate-to-severe neurological deficits may benefit from thrombectomy-capable hospitals (TCHs) that have a stroke unit, stroke specialists, and a substantial endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) case volume. From national audit data collected between 2013 and 2016, potential EVT candidates arriving within 24 hours with a baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≥6 were identified. Hospitals were classified as TCHs (≥15 EVT case/y, stroke unit, and stroke specialists), primary stroke hospitals (PSHs) without EVT (PSHs-without-EVT, 0 case/y), and PSHs-with-EVT. Thirty-day and 1-year case-fatality rates (CFRs) were analyzed using random intercept multilevel logistic regression. Out of 35 004 AIS patients, 7954 (22.7%) EVT candidates were included in this study. The average 30-day CFR was 16.3% in PSHs-without-EVT, 14.8% in PSHs-with-EVT, and 11.0% in TCHs. The average 1-year CFR was 37.5% in PSHs-without-EVT, 31.3% in PSHs-with-EVT, and 26.2% in TCHs. In TCHs, a significant reduction was not found in the 30-day CFR (odds ratio [OR], 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76 to 1.12), but was found in the 1-year CFR (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.96). The 1-year CFR was significantly reduced when EVT candidates were treated at TCHs. TCHs are not defined based solely on the number of EVTs, but also based on the presence of a stroke unit and stroke specialists. This supports the need for TCH certification in Korea and suggests that annual EVT case volume could be used to qualify TCHs.

Mission thrombectomy 2020 (MT2020+) surveys of Caribbean stroke services: A call for action in our region

Stroke is the leading cause of death and adult-onset disability in the Caribbean region. Despite the tremendous advances in acute stroke care in the past 25 years, treatment in the Caribbean lags stroke standards of care. Mission Thrombectomy 2020+ (MT2020+) is a metrics based global campaign focused on increasing access to organized stroke care and mechanical thrombectomy.We conducted two consecutive online surveys across the MT2020+ Caribbean Region assessing access to thrombolytics, mechanical thrombectomy and stroke centers. The first survey - Mechanical Thrombectomy Access-Caribbean sub-study, allowed a comparison between global services and those in the MT2020+ Caribbean region. This survey provided a snapshot of the current state of stroke centers worldwide and confirmed lower available stroke resources in the MT2020+ Caribbean Region which has one certified stroke center, and 9 mechanical thrombectomy capable centers. The second survey - MT2020+ Caribbean Region infrastructure survey - was designed to determine the availability of stroke resources that are key components of stroke care in participating hospitals. Key infrastructural components such as 24/7 computerized tomographic scanners, access to thrombolytic therapy and access to mechanical thrombectomy capable centers were scarce. There were low volumes of mechanical thrombectomy performed in the Caribbean compared to other countries around the world.Limited resources and inadequate stroke infrastructure remains a major challenge in the Caribbean. We advocate for governmental support and investment, public and private partnerships and legislation to increase access and availability to acute stroke treatments to allow for equal access to care for all Caribbean citizens.

Cost-effectiveness of improvement strategies for reperfusion treatments in acute ischemic stroke: a systematic review

BackgroundReducing delays along the acute stroke pathway significantly improves clinical outcomes for acute ischemic stroke patients eligible for reperfusion treatments. The economic impact of different strategies reducing onset to treatment (OTT) is crucial information for stakeholders in acute stroke management. This systematic review aimed to provide an overview on the cost-effectiveness of several strategies to reduce OTT.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted in EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science until January 2022. Studies were included if they reported 1/ stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis and/or endovascular thrombectomy, 2/ full economic evaluation, and 3/ strategies to reduce OTT. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement was applied to assess the reporting quality.ResultsTwenty studies met the inclusion criteria, of which thirteen were based on cost-utility analysis with the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life year gained as the primary outcome. Studies were performed in twelve countries focusing on four main strategies: educational interventions, organizational models, healthcare delivery infrastructure, and workflow improvements. Sixteen studies showed that the strategies concerning educational interventions, telemedicine between hospitals, mobile stroke units, and workflow improvements, were cost-effective in different settings. The healthcare perspective was predominantly used, and the most common types of models were decision trees, Markov models and simulation models. Overall, fourteen studies were rated as having high reporting quality (79%-94%).ConclusionsA wide range of strategies aimed at reducing OTT is cost-effective in acute stroke care treatment. Existing pathways and local characteristics need to be taken along in assessing proposed improvements.

Evolving Stroke Systems of Care: Stroke Diagnosis and Treatment in the Post-Thrombectomy Era.

Thrombectomy became the gold-standard treatment of acute ischemic stroke caused by large-vessel occlusions (LVO) in 2015 after five clinical trials published that year demonstrated significantly improved patient outcomes. In subsequent years, advances in stroke systems of care have centered around improving access to and expanding patient eligibility for thrombectomy. The prehospital and acute stroke treatment settings have had the greatest emphasis. Numerous prehospital stroke scales now provide emergency medical services with focused physical exams to identify LVOs, and many devices to non-invasively detect LVO are undergoing clinical testing. Mobile stroke units deployed throughout Western Europe and the USA also show promising results by bringing elements of acute stroke care directly to the patient. Numerous clinical trials since 2015 have aimed to increase candidates for thrombectomy by expanding indications and the eligibility time window. Further optimizations of thrombectomy treatment have focused on the role of thrombolytics and other adjunctive therapies that may promote neuroprotection and neurorecovery. While many of these approaches require further clinical investigation, the next decade shows significant potential for further advances in stroke care.

Efficacy and safety of early anticoagulation after endovascular treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation

BackgroundThe timing for initiating anticoagulant therapy in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients with atrial fibrillation who recanalised after endovascular treatment (EVT) is unclear. The objective of this study was to...

High Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts One-Year Risk of Pneumonia Post-Stroke Discharge

Introduction: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may predict stroke-associated pneumonia, which is generally defined as pneumonia occurring in the first week after stroke. However, little is known whether the initial NLR is associated with pneumonia risk during the long-term follow-up in stroke survivors. We aimed to determine the relationship between admission NLR and the risk of post-stroke pneumonia within 1 year after discharge from acute stroke care. Methods: Hospital databases were searched to identify adult patients hospitalized for acute stroke. Admission NLR was extracted using differential leukocyte counts. The outcome of interest was hospitalized pneumonia occurring within 1 year after discharge from hospitalization for stroke. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models were used to determine the independent effects of the NLR on the risk of pneumonia. Results: In this study, 5,741 patients with acute stroke (mean age, 68 years; men, 62.1%) were analyzed. The median NLR was 2.72 (interquartile range, 1.78–4.49). Of the patients, 342 (6.0%) developed pneumonia within 1 year after discharge. In the multivariable models, the NLR was a significant predictor of pneumonia after discharge whether it was analyzed as a continuous or dichotomized variable. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios were 1.037 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.013–1.061) and 1.361 (95% CI, 1.087–1.704), respectively. Conclusion: The NLR could predict the risk of post-stroke pneumonia up to 1 year after discharge from acute stroke care. It may help identify high-risk stroke survivors, for whom appropriate interventions can be targeted.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute stroke care: Ananalysis of the 24-month data from a comprehensive strokecenter in Shanghai, China.

Whether the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is associated with a long-term negative impact on acute stroke care remains uncertain. This study aims to compare the timing of key aspects of stroke codes between patients before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic hospital in Shanghai, China and included all adult patients with acute ischemic stroke hospitalized via the emergency department (ED) stroke pathway during the 24 months since the COVID-19 outbreak (COVID-19: January 1, 2020-December 31, 2021). The comparison cohort included patients with ED stroke pathway visits and hospitalizations during the same period (pre-COVID-19: January 1, 2018-December 31, 2019). We compared critical time points of prehospital and intrahospital acute stroke care between patients during the COVID-19 era and patients during the pre-COVID-19 era using t test, χ2 , and Mann-Whitney U test where appropriate. A total of 1194 acute ischemic stroke cases were enrolled, including 606 patients in COVID-19 and 588 patients in pre-COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the median onset-to-hospital time was about 108 min longer compared with the same period of pre-COVID-19 (300 vs 192 min, p=0.01). Accordingly, the median onset-to-needle time was 169 min in COVID-19 and 113 min in pre-COVID-19 (p=0.0001), and the proportion of patients with onset-to-hospital time within 4.5h was lower (292/606 [48.2%] vs 328/558 [58.8%], p=0.0003) during the pandemic period. Furthermore, the median door-to-inpatient admission and door-to-inpatient rehabilitation times increased from 28 to 37 h and from 3 to 4 days (p=0.014 and 0.0001). During the 24 months of COVID-19, a prolongation of stroke onset to hospital arrival and to intravenous rt-PA administration times were noted. Meanwhile, acute stroke patients needed to stay in the ED for a longer time before hospitalization. Educational system support and process optimization should be pursued in order to acquire timely delivery of stroke care during the pandemic.