Abstract P141: Global Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Acute Stroke and Mechanical Thrombectomy - An International Survey

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has strained the healthcare systems across the world but its impact on acute stroke care is just being elucidated. We hypothesized a major global impact of COVID-19 not only on stroke volumes but also on thrombectomy practice. Methods: A 19-item questionnaire survey aimed to identify the changes in stroke volumes and treatment practices seen during COVID-19 pandemic was designed using Qualtrics software. It was sent to stroke and neuro-interventional physicians around the world who are part of the executive committee of a global coalition, Mission Thrombectomy 2020 (MT2020) between April 5 th to May 15 th , 2020. Results: There were 113 responses across 25 countries. Globally there was a median 33% decrease in stroke admissions and a 25% decrease in mechanical thrombectomy (MT) procedures during COVID-19 pandemic compared to immediately preceding months (Figure 1A-B). This overall median decrease was despite a median increase in stroke volume in 4 European countries which diverted all stroke patients to only a few selected centers during the pandemic. The intubation policy during the pandemic for patients undergoing MT was highly variable across participating centers: 44% preferred intubating all patients, including 25% centers that changed their policy to preferred-intubation (PI) vs 27% centers that switched to preferred-conscious-sedation (PCS). There was no significant difference in rate of COVID-19 infection between PI vs PCS (p=0.6) or if intubation policy was changed in either direction (p=1). Low-volume (<10 stroke/month) compared with high-volume stroke centers (>20 strokes/month) are less likely to have neurointerventional suite specific written personal protective equipment protocols (74% vs 88%) and if present, these centers are more likely to report them to be inadequate (58% vs 92%). Conclusion: Our data provides a comprehensive snapshot of the impact on acute stroke care observed worldwide during the pandemic.

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Three-month functional outcomes following endovascular thrombectomy during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: a Canadian single-center cohort study

Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery ◽

10.1136/neurintsurg-2021-017664 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. neurintsurg-2021-017664

Author(s):

Joel Neves Briard ◽

Gabrielle Dufort ◽

Grégory Jacquin ◽

Walid Alesefir ◽

Olena Bereznyakova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Acute Stroke ◽

Functional Status ◽

Functional Outcomes ◽

High Volume ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Single Center ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

Baseline Characteristics ◽

The Impact

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted acute stroke care logistics, including delays in hyperacute management and decreased monitoring following endovascular therapy (EVT). We aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on 90-day functional outcome among patients treated with EVT.MethodsThis is an observational cohort study including all patients evaluated for an acute stroke between March 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020 (pandemic cohort) and 2019 (reference cohort) in a high-volume Canadian academic stroke center. We collected baseline characteristics, acute reperfusion treatment and management metrics. For EVT-treated patients, we assessed the modified Rankin score (mRS) at 90 days. We evaluated the impact of the pandemic on a 90-day favourable functional status (defined as mRS 0–2) and death using multivariable logistic regressions.ResultsAmong 383 and 339 patients included in the pandemic and reference cohorts, baseline characteristics were similar. Delays from symptom onset to evaluation and in-house treatment were longer during the early first wave, but returned to reference values in the subsequent months. Among the 127 and 136 EVT-treated patients in each respective cohort, favourable 90-day outcome occurred in 53/99 (53%) vs 52/109 (48%, p=0.40), whereas 22/99 (22%) and 28/109 (26%, p=0.56) patients died. In multivariable regressions, the pandemic period was not associated with 90-day favourable functional status (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 0.60 to 2.56) or death (aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.63).ConclusionIn this single-center cohort study conducted in a Canadian pandemic epicenter, the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic did not impact 90-day functional outcomes or death among EVT-treated patients.

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The impact of tele-neurologists on acute stroke care at an advanced primary stroke centre

Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare ◽

10.1177/1357633x20921039 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1357633X2092103

Author(s):

Scott Gutovitz ◽

Jonathan Leggett ◽

Leslie Hart ◽

Samuel M Leaman ◽

Heather James ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Mechanical Thrombectomy ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Final Diagnosis ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

Care Guidelines ◽

Stroke Center ◽

The Impact ◽

Stroke Centre

Introduction We evaluated the impact of tele-neurologists on the time to initiating acute stroke care versus traditional bedside neurologists at an advanced stroke center. Methods This observational study evaluated time to treatment for acute stroke patients at a single hospital, certified as an advanced primary stroke centre, with thrombectomy capabilities. Consecutive stroke alert patients between 1 March, 2016 and 31 March, 2018 were divided into two groups based on their neurology consultation service (bedside neurology: 1 March, 2016–28 February, 2017; tele-neurology: 1 April, 2017–31 March, 2018). Door-to-tPA time and door-to-IR time for mechanical thrombectomy were compared between the two groups. Results Nine hundred and fifty-nine stroke patients met the inclusion criteria (436 bedside neurology, 523 tele-neurology patients). There were no significant differences in sex, age, or stroke final diagnosis between groups ( p > 0.05). 85 bedside neurology patients received tPA and 35 had mechanical thrombectomy, 84 and 44 for the tele-neurology group respectively. Door-to-tPA time (median (IQR)) was significantly higher among tele-neurology (64 min (51.5–83.5)) than bedside neurology patients (45 min (34–69); p < 0.0001). There was no difference in door-to-IR times (mean ± SD) between bedside neurology (87.2 ± 33.3 min) and tele-neurology (90.4 ± 33.4 min; p = 0.67). Discussion At this facility, our tele-neurology services vendor was associated with a statistically significant delay in tPA administration compared with bedside neurologists. There was no difference in door-to-IR times. Delays in tPA administration make it harder to meet acute stroke care guidelines and could worsen patient outcomes.

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Bottlenecks in the Acute Stroke Care System during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Catalonia

Cerebrovascular Diseases ◽

10.1159/000516309 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Anna Ramos-Pachón ◽

Álvaro García-Tornel ◽

Mònica Millán ◽

Marc Ribó ◽

Sergi Amaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Functional Outcome ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Care Quality ◽

Point Of View ◽

Stroke Severity ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

Vessel Occlusion ◽

Prehospital Delays ◽

The Impact

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant healthcare reorganizations, potentially striking standard medical care. We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute stroke care quality and clinical outcomes to detect healthcare system’s bottlenecks from a territorial point of view. Methods: Crossed-data analysis between a prospective nation-based mandatory registry of acute stroke, Emergency Medical System (EMS) records, and daily incidence of COVID-19 in Catalonia (Spain). We included all stroke code activations during the pandemic (March 15–May 2, 2020) and an immediate prepandemic period (January 26–March 14, 2020). Primary outcomes were stroke code activations and reperfusion therapies in both periods. Secondary outcomes included clinical characteristics, workflow metrics, differences across types of stroke centers, correlation analysis between weekly EMS alerts, COVID-19 cases, and workflow metrics, and impact on mortality and clinical outcome at 90 days. Results: Stroke code activations decreased by 22% and reperfusion therapies dropped by 29% during the pandemic period, with no differences in age, stroke severity, or large vessel occlusion. Calls to EMS were handled 42 min later, and time from onset to hospital arrival increased by 53 min, with significant correlations between weekly COVID-19 cases and more EMS calls (rho = 0.81), less stroke code activations (rho = −0.37), and longer prehospital delays (rho = 0.25). Telestroke centers were afflicted with higher reductions in stroke code activations, reperfusion treatments, referrals to endovascular centers, and increased delays to thrombolytics. The independent odds of death increased (OR 1.6 [1.05–2.4], p 0.03) and good functional outcome decreased (mRS ≤2 at 90 days: OR 0.6 [0.4–0.9], p 0.015) during the pandemic period. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Catalonia’s stroke system’s weakest points were the delay to EMS alert and a decline of stroke code activations, reperfusion treatments, and interhospital transfers, mostly at local centers. Patients suffering an acute stroke during the pandemic period had higher odds of poor functional outcome and death. The complete stroke care system’s analysis is crucial to allocate resources appropriately.

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Abstract TMP86: Telestroke Improves Guideline-Based Comprehensive Stroke Care: The TELECAST Trial

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.51.suppl_1.tmp86 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Christopher D Streib ◽

Oladi Bentho ◽

Kathryn Bard ◽

Eric Jaton ◽

Sarah Engkjer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Composite Score ◽

Stroke Recurrence ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

Specialist Service ◽

Stroke Treatment ◽

Chi Squared ◽

Secondary Outcomes ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Limited access to stroke specialist expertise produces disparities in inpatient stroke treatment. The impact of telestroke on the remote delivery of guideline-based inpatient stroke care is yet to be comprehensively studied. The TELECAST trial (NCT03672890) prospectively examined the impact of a 24-7 telestroke specialist service dedicated to inpatient acute stroke care spanning admission to discharge. Methods: AHA stroke guidelines were used to derive outcome metrics in the following acute stroke inpatient care categories: diagnostic stroke evaluation (DSE), secondary stroke prevention (SSP), health screening and evaluation (HSE), and stroke education (SE). Adherence to AHA guidelines for stroke inpatients pre-telestroke (July 1, 2016-June 30, 2018) and post-telestroke intervention (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019) were studied. The primary outcome was a composite score of all guideline-based stroke care. Secondary outcomes consisted of subcategory composite scores in DSE, SSP, HSE, and SE. Chi-squared tests were utilized to assess primary and secondary outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 15.0. Results: Following institution of a comprehensive inpatient telestroke service, overall adherence to guideline-based metrics improved (composite score: 85% vs 94%, p<0.01) as did adherence to DSE guidelines (subgroup score: 90 vs 95%, p<0.01). SSP, HSE, and SE subgroup scores were not significantly different. See Table 1. Conclusion: The implementation of a 24-7 inpatient telestroke service improved adherence to AHA guidelines for inpatient acute stroke care. Dedicated inpatient telestroke specialist coverage may improve inpatient stroke care and reduce stroke recurrence in hospitals without access to stroke specialists.

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Fast-tracking acute stroke care in China: Shenzhen Stroke Emergency Map

Postgraduate Medical Journal ◽

10.1136/postgradmedj-2018-136192 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 95 (1119) ◽

pp. 46-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lijie Ren ◽

Chao Li ◽

Weiping Li ◽

Yixuan Zeng ◽

Shisheng Ye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thrombolytic Therapy ◽

Acute Stroke ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Continuous Data ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

Fast Tracking ◽

Stroke Population ◽

The World ◽

Emergency System

China has the largest stroke population and at-risk population in the world. However, it has a lower thrombolytic therapy rate and longer onset-to-needle time/door-to-needle time for patients who had an acute stroke compared with developed countries, which might be due to redundant procedures or inefficient systems. Things are changing due to some new initiatives. Two years ago, a new emergency system in China, Stroke Emergency Map, was first launched as a regional emergency system in Shenzhen, the bustling metropolis just north of Hong Kong. As a result of the Stroke Emergency Map in Shenzhen, the number of thrombolytic cases increased in the last 2 years, from 568 to 809 annually. The Stroke Emergency Map, first pioneered in Shenzhen and now spreading to the rest of China, is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary system. The benefits are not just the immediate improvements in the acute stroke care because the continuous data collection and audit allows for improvements in logistics and future strategies.

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The global impact of COVID‐19 on acute stroke care

CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics ◽

10.1111/cns.13442 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 26 (10) ◽

pp. 1103-1105 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Renyu Liu ◽

Jing Zhao ◽

Marc Fisher

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

Global Impact

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The Impact of Ambulance Practice on Acute Stroke Care

Stroke ◽

10.1161/strokeaha.107.483446 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 38 (10) ◽

pp. 2765-2770 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

Ian Mosley ◽

Marcus Nicol ◽

Geoffrey Donnan ◽

Ian Patrick ◽

Fergus Kerr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

The Impact

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Abstract 3379: Benefiting the Community; The Impact of Joining a Regional Stroke Network

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.43.suppl_1.a3379 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 43 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Nancy D Papesh ◽

James Gebel

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Care Center ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Cleveland Clinic ◽

Stroke Care ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Acute Stroke Care ◽

Stroke Treatment ◽

The Impact ◽

Iv Tpa

Background: The Cleveland Clinic Health System (CCHS) consists of a large tertiary care center and 10 regional hospitals. It is organized both clinically and administratively into multispecialty organ based Institutes rather than departments. The CCHS re-introduced a regional initiative to standardize stroke care in 2008. Medina Hospital is a 118-bed community hospital in rural North-eastern Ohio, where there is a high stroke burden and previously minimal IV tPA use. Medina Hospital joined the CCHS Stroke Network in November 2009. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that after joining the formally organized stroke CCHS system of care, the proportion of stroke patients receiving IV tPA and the timeliness of administration of acute thrombolytic therapy would both significantly increase. Methods: Data was analyzed from our prospective participation in the Get with the Guidelines-Stroke and the Ohio Coverdell Stroke Registries. Baseline data regarding quality, outcomes and stroke performance measures were reviewed. CCHS initially supported acute stroke care in early 2010 with a telemedicine cart and then introduced 24/7 emergency, on-site, CCHS neurologist, acute stroke call coverage in late 2010. Standardized CCHS stroke care pathways and order sets were also introduced in 2010. The proportion of stroke patients treated with IV tPA in 2010 and 2011 (post- joining CCHS) was compared to 2009 (2-sided Fisher’s exact test), and door-to-needle times were compared from 2010 to 2011 (unpaired t-test). Results: IV tPA treatment utilization increased from 0/69 patients (0%) in 2009 to 9/67 patients (11.8%) in 2010 [exact p=.0033] and 11/46 (19.3%) in the first 7 months of 2011 [exact p=.0001]. Door-to-needle times improved from a mean of 81.4 (95%CI 66.4 to 96.4) minutes in 2010 to 61.7 (95% CI 52.7 to 70.8) minutes in 2011 (p=.0158). Conclusions: Participation in an organized formal collaborative regional hospital stroke treatment network resulted in dramatic improvements from zero IV tPA utilization to greatly exceeding the national benchmark averages for both percentage treatment with IV tPA and door-to-needle time in a rural area where patients previously had minimal access to acute stroke expertise.

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