scholarly journals Delayed presentation of acute ischemic strokes during the COVID-19 crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 639-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemens M Schirmer ◽  
Andrew J Ringer ◽  
Adam S Arthur ◽  
Mandy J Binning ◽  
W Christopher Fox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Public Life ◽  
Baseline Period ◽  
Delayed Presentation ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Stroke Center

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted established care paths worldwide. Patient awareness of the pandemic and executive limitations imposed on public life have changed the perception of when to seek care for acute conditions in some cases. We sought to study whether there is a delay in presentation for acute ischemic stroke patients in the first month of the pandemic in the US.MethodsThe interval between last-known-well (LKW) time and presentation of 710 consecutive patients presenting with acute ischemic strokes to 12 stroke centers across the US were extracted from a prospectively maintained quality database. We analyzed the timing and severity of the presentation in the baseline period from February to March 2019 and compared results with the timeframe of February and March 2020.ResultsThere were 320 patients in the 2-month baseline period in 2019, there was a marked decrease in patients from February to March of 2020 (227 patients in February, and 163 patients in March). There was no difference in the severity of the presentation between groups and no difference in age between the baseline and the COVID period. The mean interval from LKW to the presentation was significantly longer in the COVID period (603±1035 min) compared with the baseline period (442±435 min, P<0.02).ConclusionWe present data supporting an association between public awareness and limitations imposed on public life during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and a delay in presentation for acute ischemic stroke patients to a stroke center.

Abstract WP399: Reduced Cost and Decreased Length of Stay Associated with Acute Ischemic Stroke Care Provided by Nurse Practitioners: A Single Primary Stroke Center Experience

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Roering ◽  
Michelle Peterson ◽  
Muhammad Shah Miran ◽  
Melissa Freese ◽  
Kenneth Shea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Stroke Care ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Medical Provider ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Stroke Center

Background: Nurse practitioner (NP) have a wider role in modern stroke centers providing quality evidence based care to patients in both in and outpatient settings for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients. We studied the outcome measures, length of stay (LOS) and cost before and after implementation of nurse practitioners as the primary medical provider in a community based stroke center. Methods: St Cloud hospital is acute care hospital with dedicated stroke service responsible for workup and management of all patients admitted with AIS and TIA. From March 2014-March 2015, all patients were primarily managed by stroke neurologists with or without support of NP, representing physician driven arm. From June 2015-March 2016 all non-critical patients were managed primarily by NP, representing the NP driven arm of care. For this analysis, we excluded all patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracerebral hemorrhage. Using ICD codes, we abstracted LOS and hospitalization cost for all patients, and compared between two arms. Results: A total of 822 patients were included in physician arm and 336 in NP arm. The mean age was 72±14 years for both arms, and 54.4% were male in physician arm and 57.4% were male in NP arm. The mean total LOS for the physician arm was 3.1 ±3.3 days while 2.9±3.6 for NP arm (p=0.6). The total cost for physician arm was $11,286.70 ±$10,920.90 while the NP arm was $10,277.30± $10,142.30 (p=0.1). Conclusion: There is a trend towards lower cost and length of stay with implementation of NP as primary stroke provider for patients admitted with acute ischemic stroke.

scholarly journals Correlation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and clinical outcome of acute thrombotic stroke in patients with COVID-19

Narra J ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rizky Sarengat ◽  
Mohammad S. Islam ◽  
Mohammad S. Ardhi
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Clinical Outcome ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
National Institutes Of Health ◽  
Neutrophil To Lymphocyte Ratio ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Lymphocyte Ratio ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
The Mean

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused millions of deaths worldwide. Acute ischemic stroke is a life-threatening risk factor for COVID-19 infection. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is one of the predictors of poor prognosis in acute ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between NLR values and the clinical outcome of acute thrombotic stroke patients with COVID-19 that was measured using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital Surabaya, Indonesia. Patients with acute thrombotic stroke and COVID-19 admitted between 1 March 2020 and 31 May 2021 were recruited. The NLR values and the NIHSS scores were assessed during the admission and the correlation between NLR and NIHSS scores was calculated. This study included 21 patients with acute thrombotic stroke and COVID-19, consisting of 12 males and 9 females. The mean age was 57.6 years old. The mean NLR values was 8.33±6.7 and the NIHSS scores ranging from 1 to 33. Our data suggested a positive correlation between NLR values and NIHSS scores, r=0.45 with p=0.041. In conclusion, the NLR value is potentially to be used as a predictor of the clinical outcome in acute thrombotic stroke patients with COVID-19. However, further study is warranted to validate this finding.

Abstract T P267: Development of an EMS Interfacility Ground Transport Protocol for Patients During/After IV tPA Administration for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerrin Connelly ◽  
Rishi Gupta ◽  
Raul Nogueira ◽  
Arthur Yancey ◽  
Alexander Isakov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Transport Protocol ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Stroke Registry ◽  
The Public ◽  
State Office ◽  
Stroke Center ◽  
Iv Tpa

Purpose: To standardize the care of acute stroke patients who receive IV tPA being transported by ground EMS from a treating hospital to a stroke center. Background: National consensus guidelines exist for the hospital management of patients receiving IV tPA for acute ischemic stroke. Such patients require close monitoring and management to minimize risk of clinical deterioration. Although patients are often emergently transported from local hospitals to a stroke center, there are no treatment specific national guidelines for managing such patients enroute. As a result, there is a need to develop and implement a standardized approach to guide EMS personnel, particularly in states like Georgia where the public health burden of stroke is high. Methods: In 2012, the “Georgia EMS Interfacility Ground Transport Protocol for Patients during/after IV tPA Administration for Acute Ischemic Stroke” was developed in conjunction with the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry, the Georgia State Office of EMS, a representative group of Georgia hospitals and EMS providers. Stakeholders were brought together with the goal of creating a unified statewide protocol. The intent was to create a streamlined protocol which could be readily implemented by pre-hospital care providers. Results: Stakeholders discussed challenges and opportunities to change the process of pre-hospital care. Challenges included recognition of the broad diversity of EMS providers representing over 250 agencies in the state. Opportunities included establishing the framework for greater collaboration across organizations and providers. The final protocol was endorsed by both the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry and the State Office of EMS, and distributed to all EMS regions in Georgia. EMS agencies are currently implementing the protocol. Conclusion: Engaging a diverse group of statewide stakeholders to develop a new treatment protocol enhances success in implementation and serves to further the public health mission of improving care of acute stroke patients.

Abstract T P260: Confirmation: The Target Stroke Best Practice Strategies Work

Stroke ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nojan Valadi ◽  
Alexis Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Process Improvement ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
High Performers ◽  
Process Implementation ◽  
Honor Roll ◽  
Stroke Team ◽  
Stroke Center

Background: A recent national push for optimizing stroke center performance led by the efforts of AHA/ASA to recognize high performers with the Target Stroke Honor Roll recognition have focused on achieving expedited treatment for stroke with door-to-needle (DTN) time of ≤60 minutes.Our organization recognized the need to optimize our performance and set an initial goal of achieving DTN time of ≤60 minutes in greater than 50% of our patients. The Target Stroke Initiative by the AHA/ASA identified 10 key strategies for best practice associated with reducing DTN times. Our organization adopted and implemented all of these strategies over a 30-day period. Methods: The Target Stroke best practice strategies were implemented over a 30-day period, and the Stroke Team worked collaboratively to identify other weaknesses needing to be addressed. DTN times ≤60 minutes from the 12 months prior to process improvement implementation were compared with the first 2 months post implementation. Results: There were 345 ischemic stroke patients treated at our facility during the 12 month period prior to the process implementation, with a total of 14 patients (1.12 per month) treated with tPA. The percentage of patients treated with tPA was 4%, and the percentage of patients treated with DTN ≤60 minutes was 0%. Over the two months following process implementation, 68 ischemic stroke patients were treated at our facility, with 11 patients treated with tPA (5.5 per month). The percentage of stroke patients treated with tPA was 16%, with 70% of patients treated with DTN ≤60 minutes. Conclusion: This study serves as confirmation that collaboration and implementation of the 10 key strategies for best practice as outlined by the Target Stroke Initiative, coupled with changes to identified areas of weakness, can improve and expedite the care of patients with acute ischemic stroke. This can substantially improve DTN times, as well as the overall number and percentage of patients that receive thrombolysis with a hopeful impact on their outcome as well as Target Stroke Honor Roll recognition for the facility. In conclusion, we recommend implementation of these best practice strategies to other facilities.

Abstract TP224: Interleukin-37 Level is Elevated in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saif Bushnaq ◽  
Atif Zafar ◽  
Kempuraj Duraisamy ◽  
Nudrat Tasneem ◽  
Mohammad M Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Delayed Presentation ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Urine And Serum ◽  
Serum And Urine

Background: Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a new member of IL-1 cytokine family with a defined role as a negative feedback inhibitor of pro-inflammatory responses. IL-37 has yet to be evaluated in non-immune neurological diseases like ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. This study aimed to measure the urine and serum IL-37 levels in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Method: Twelve patients consented for the study. Two sets of serum and urine samples were obtained and analyzed; one upon admission to the hospital, and the second the next morning after overnight fasting. The trends in serum level of IL-37 in 5 stroke patients, while trends in urine level of 6 patients were available, measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Prior studies with healthy volunteers as control group have consistently showed IL-37 plasma level around or less than 65 pg/ml with maximum normal levels on ELISA approximated at 130 pg/ml. Results: IL-37 level in urine in stroke patients ranged from 297 - 4467. IL-37 levels were in the range of 300s to 1000s in patients with ischemic stroke compared with reported healthy controls in literature where the level was always less than 90. Three of these 10 patients presented within 3 hours of stroke onset with IL-37 serum levels being 2655 pg/ml, 3517 pg/ml and 5235 pg/ml. In all others, it ranged much less than that, with the trend of delayed presentation giving less IL-37 levels, both in urine and serum. There were no clear differences found in patients with or without tPA, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and high blood pressure in our small study. Conclusion: The study shows a rather stable elevation of IL-37 levels post-ischemic stroke, which if compared to available data from other studies, is 3-10 times elevated after acute ischemic stroke with an uptrend in the first few days. IL-37 plays some role in mediating post-stroke inflammation with significant rise in serum and urine IL-37 levels suggesting a key role of this novel cytokine in post-stroke pathology. This is the first ever reported study measuring and trending IL-37 levels in human plasma after an acute ischemic stroke.

Abstract P188: Transfer Time From Spoke ER Arrival to CSC Arrival in a Hub-Spoke Transfer Model of Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivien H Lee ◽  
Paul A Segerstrom ◽  
Ciarán J Powers ◽  
Sharon Heaton ◽  
Shahid M Nimjee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Transfer Time ◽  
Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Comprehensive Stroke Center ◽  
Stroke Center ◽  
Er Status

Introduction: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who present to a spoke Emergency Room (ER) and require transfer to a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) hub face potential delays Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 269 suspected AIS patients who received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) from July 2016 to October 2017 in our academic telestroke network. During this period, nearly all tPA patients were transferred to the CSC hub. Data was collected on patient demographics, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), door to needle time (DTN), and distance to CSC. ER-to-CSC was defined as the time from patient arrival at Spoke ER to arrival at CSC. Top volume ER status was assigned to the 4 Spoke ERs with the highest volume of tPA. Results: Among 269 AIS patients who received tPA at spoke ERs, the mean age was 65.4 years (range, 21 to 95), 49% were female, and 91.8% were white. The initial median NIHSS was 6 (range, 0 to 30) and the mean DTN was 73.1 minutes (range, 14 to 234). The mean distance from Spoke ER to CSC was 55.2 miles (range 5.8 to 125) and the mean ER-to-CSC was 2.6 hours (range 0.62 to 6.3) (Figure 1). In univariate analysis, the following factors were significantly associated with ER-to-CSC: distance (p < 0.0001), DTN (p < 0.0001), NIHSS (p 0.0007), and top volume ER status (p 0.0034). Patient sex, age, race, SBP, weight, initial NIHSS, daytime shift, and weekend status were not significantly associated with ER-to-CSC. Significant variables from the univariate analysis were included in multivariate linear regression model in which DTN (P < 0.0001), distance (P < 0.0001), and NIHSS (P 0.024) association with ER-to-CSC remained significant. Conclusions: In our series of AIS tPA patients transferred to CSC, the mean time from spoke ER arrival to CSC arrival was 2.6 hours. Factors associated with CSC arrival time include markers of ER performance (DTN), severity (NIHSS), and distance. Further study is warranted to improve transfer time in AIS.

Abstract TP354: Usage of New Oral Anticoagulants Among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in China: Findings from Chinese Stroke Center Alliance

Stroke ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zixiao Li ◽  
Yongjun Wang ◽  
Yilong Wang ◽  
Xingquan Zhao ◽  
Hongqiu Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
New Oral Anticoagulants ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Stroke Center

scholarly journals Clot composition of embolic strokes of undetermined source: a feasibility study

BMC Neurology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amre Nouh ◽  
Tapan Mehta ◽  
Mohamed Hussain ◽  
Xianyuan Song ◽  
Martin Ollenschleger
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Mechanical Thrombectomy ◽  
National Institutes Of Health ◽  
Carotid Dissection ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Stroke Etiology ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Undetermined Etiology ◽  
A Prospective Study

Abstract Background A number of emerging studies have evaluated clot composition in acute ischemic stroke. Studies of clot composition of embolic strokes of undetermined strokes are lacking. Objectives We sought to analyze the RBC to platelet ratios in clots and correlated our findings with stroke etiology. Methods This was a prospective study analyzing clots retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke patients at our institution. All clots were stained and scanned at 200x magnification by using a Scanscope XT digital scanner (Apergio, Vista, California). Image-J software (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland) was used for semi quantitative analysis of percentage RBC’s and platelets. Unpaired t-test was used to compare means of RBC to Platelet ratios. Correlation of RBC to Platelet ratios with stroke etiology was performed. Results A total of 33 clots from 33 patients were analyzed. Stroke etiology was undetermined in 6 patients, cardioembolic in 14, large vessel atherosclerosis (LVA) in 9, and carotid dissection in 4. The mean RBC to platelet ratio was 0.78:1 (+/− 0.65) in cardioembolic clots, 1.73:1 (+/− 2.38) in LVA and 1.4:1(+/− 0.70) in carotid dissections. Although patients with undetermined etiology had a similar clot composition to cardioembolic stroke (0.36:1+/− 0.33), (p = 0.19), it differed significantly from LVA and dissections respectively (p = 0.037, p = 0.01). Conclusion In our study, a low RBC to Platelet ratio was found among patients with embolic strokes of undetermined source, however shared similar characteristics with cardioembolic thrombi. Ongoing collection and analysis is needed to confirm these findings and its significance in evaluating stroke etiology.

scholarly journals Emergency Medical Services Support for Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Receiving Thrombolysis at a Primary Stroke Center

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. JCNSD.S2221
Author(s):  
Byron R. Spencer ◽  
Omar M. Khan ◽  
Bentley J. Bobrow ◽  
Bart M. Demaerschalk
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Stroke Onset ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Emergency Medical ◽  
Field Assessment ◽  
Primary Stroke Center ◽  
Stroke Center

Background Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is a vital link in the overall chain of stroke survival. A Primary Stroke Center (PSC) relies heavily on the 9-1-1 response system along with the ability of EMS personnel to accurately diagnose acute stroke. Other critical elements include identifying time of symptom onset, providing pre-hospital care, selecting a destination PSC, and communicating estimated time of arrival (ETA). Purpose Our purpose was to evaluate the EMS component of thrombolysed acute ischemic stroke patient care at our PSC. Methods In a retrospective manner we retrieved electronic copies of the EMS incident reports for every thrombolysed ischemic stroke patient treated at our PSC from September 2001 to August 2005. The following data elements were extracted: location of victim, EMS agency, times of dispatch, scene, departure, emergency department (ED) arrival, recordings of time of stroke onset, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), cardiac rhythm, blood glucose (BG), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Cincinnati Stroke Scale (CSS) elements, emergency medical personnel field assessment, and transport decision making. Results Eighty acute ischemic stroke patients received thrombolysis during the study interval. Eighty-one percent arrived by EMS. Two EMS agencies transported to our PSC. Mean dispatch-to-scene time was 6 min, on-scene time was 16 min, transport time was 10 min. Stroke onset time was recorded in 68%, BP, HR, and cardiac rhythm each in 100%, BG in 81%, GCS in 100%, CSS in 100%, and acute stroke diagnosis was made in 88%. Various diagnostic terms were employed: cerebrovascular accident in 40%, unilateral weakness or numbness in 20%, loss of consciousness in 16%, stroke in 8%, other stroke terms in 4%. In 87% of incident reports there was documentation of decision-making to transport to the nearest PSC in conjunction with pre-notification. Conclusion The EMS component of thrombolysed acute ischemic stroke patients care at our PSC appeared to be very good overall. Diagnostic accuracy was excellent, field assessment, decision-making, and transport times were very good. There was still room for improvement in documentation of stroke onset and in employment of a common term for acute stroke.

Nitroglycerin Is Not Associated with Improved Cerebral Perfusion in Acute Ischemic Stroke

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Mahesh Kate ◽  
Laura Gioia ◽  
Negar Asdaghi ◽  
Thomas Jeerakathil ◽  
Ashfaq Shuaib ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Acute Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Cerebral Perfusion ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Infarct Volume ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Untreated Group ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
The Mean

ABSTRACT: Objective: The study was conducted to test the hypothesis that nitroglycerin (NTG) increases cerebral perfusion focally and globally in acute ischemic stroke patients, using serial perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) magnetic resonance imaging measurements. Patients and methods: Thirty-five patients underwent PWI immediately before and 72 h after administration of a transdermal NTG patch or no treatment. Patients with baseline mean arterial pressure (MAP) > 100 mmHg (NTG group, n = 20) were treated with transdermal NTG (0.2 mg/h) for 72 h, without a nitrate-free interval. Patients with MAP ≤ 100 mmHg (untreated group, n = 15) were not treated. The primary outcome measure was absolute cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the hypoperfused region at 72 h. Results: The mean baseline absolute CBF in the hypoperfused region was similar in the NTG group (33.3 ± 10.2 ml/100 g/min) and untreated (32.7 ± 8.4 ml/100 g/min, p = 0.4) groups. The median (IQR) baseline infarct volume was 10.4 (2.5–49.3) ml in the NTG group and 32.6 (8.6–96.7) ml in the untreated group (p = 0.09). MAP change in the NTG group was 1.2 ± 12.6 and 8 ± 20.7 mmHg at 2 h and 72 h, respectively. Mean absolute CBF in the hypoperfused region at 72 h was similar in the NTG (29.9 ± 12 ml/100 g/min) and untreated groups (24.1 ± 10 ml/100 g/min, p = 0.8). The median infarct volume increased in untreated (11.8 (5.7–44.2) ml) than the NTG group (3.2 (0.5–16.5) ml; p = 0.033) on univariate analysis, however, there was no difference on regression analysis. Conclusion: NTG was not associated with improvement in cerebral perfusion in acute ischemic stroke patients.

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