Abstract P77: Acute Stroke Trends and Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Multi-System Hospital System in the Western US

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Renee Ovando ◽  
Natalie R Swearingen ◽  
Tamela L Stuchiner ◽  
Leslie Corless ◽  
Crystal Ann Moreno ◽  
...  

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on stroke systems of care and outcomes within a large multi-hospital system in the Western US. Methods: Retrospective data from 37 hospitals within a large multi-hospital stroke registry was analyzed. All patients with a confirmed discharge diagnosis of stroke or TIA during the pandemic (March and April 2020) were compared to cohorts during the same periods in 2018 and 2019. Analyzed factors included demographics, stroke mechanism, admission NIHSS, reperfusion therapy rates (IV TPA and EVT), reperfusion performance metrics (door-to-CT, door-to-needle, door-to-puncture, door-to-first pass), TICI score, discharge and 90-day mRS, discharge disposition, and length of stay. Analyses were conducted using ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, or Person’s Chi-square test, as appropriate, adjusting for multiple comparisons. Results: Among the 7,201 analyzed patients, 2,378 (33.0%) were admitted in 2018, 2,613 (36.3%) in 2019 and 2,210 (30.7%) in 2020. Fewer patients were hospitalized with TIA during the pandemic compared to 2018 and 2019 (23.6% vs 36.8% vs 39.6%, p<.001). More patients arrived via EMS (52.2% vs 45.7% vs 45.4 %) and fewer via private car (29.8% vs 37.8% vs 38.7%) (p<.001) during the pandemic. Median door-to-CT (in minutes) (26 vs 35 vs 33, p<.001) time was significantly shorter during the pandemic. Additionally, a greater percentage of patients were treated with EVT during the pandemic (7.5 vs 5.7 vs 5.4, p=.005). Shorter arrival-to-first pass times (in minutes) occurred in 2020 compared to previous years (103 vs 119 vs 115, p=0.091) but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Fewer patients were discharged to a skilled nursing facility during the pandemic (12.7%) compared to 2018 and 2019 (15.1% and 15.2%, p=.012). There were no other significant differences in stroke admission volumes, treatment trends, or outcomes between the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Conclusion: Fewer walk-in strokes and TIAs were hospitalized during the pandemic while an increased rate of thrombectomy procedures occurred compared to the pre-pandemic era. Despite anticipated delays in acute stroke care, our study demonstrates improvement in key triage and treatment times and similar outcomes.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Allen ◽  
Kerry Pearn ◽  
Gary A. Ford ◽  
Phil White ◽  
Anthony Rudd ◽  
...  

Objectives: To guide policy when planning reperfusion thrombolysis (IVT) and thrombectomy (MT) services for acute stroke in England, focussing on the choice between ‘mothership’ (direct conveyance to an MT centre) and ‘drip-and-ship' (secondary transfer for MT after local IVT) provision and the impact of bypassing local acute stroke centres.Methods: Computer modelling was used to estimate the likely outcomes from reperfusion therapies, along with admission numbers to units, based on expected times to IVT and MT.Results: Without pre-hospital selection for LAO, 94% of the population of England live in areas where the greatest clinical benefit accrues from direct conveyance to an IVT/MT centre. If this model was followed then net benefit from reperfusion is predicted to be increased from 31 to 34 additional disability-free outcomes / 1,000 admissions. However, this policy produces unsustainable admission numbers at these centres, and depletes all but 19 IVT-only units of all stroke admissions. Implementing a maximum permitted additional travel time to bypass an IVT-only unit, or using a pre-hospital test for LAO, both increase net benefit over the current drip-and-ship model, but produce a similar destabilising effect on acute systems of care. Use of IVT-only units manage admission numbers to IVT/MT centres.Conclusions: The mothership model reduces time to MT at the cost of increased time to IVT, but the benefit of faster MT is predicted to lead to a modest improvement in overall outcomes. Providing a sustainable national system of acute stroke care requires a hybrid of mothership and drip-and-ship provision.


Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir R Belagaje ◽  
Diogo C Haussen ◽  
Jeffrey L Saver ◽  
Mayank Goyal ◽  
David S Liebeskind ◽  
...  

Intro: Post-acute stroke care in an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) demonstrates better outcomes compared to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). With advancements in endovascular acute stroke, the impact that post-acute care plays is unclear. Here, we analyze a successful endovascular acute stroke trial to demonstrate that more improvement is seen in patients discharged to an IRF compared to a SNF. Methods: From SWIFT PRIME, a prospective, multi-center randomized acute endovascular trial, subject characteristics, and modified Rankin scores (mRS) were obtained. Post-acute hospital discharge was classified as home, IRF, and SNF. A favorable outcome was defined as 90 day mRS ≤ 2 and improvement was defined as ≥ 1 point decrease in mRS score. The effect of each disposition on a favorable outcome was calculated overall and stratified by stroke severity class (defined as discharge mRS 0-3, 4, 5) Results: A total of 165 subjects (mean age 64.8 years, mean initial NIHSS= 16.5, and 50 % male) were analyzed. Discharge disposition included: 51 (31%) going home, 92 (56%) IRF, 22 (13%) SNF. The baseline characteristics were similar between patients that went to IRF and SNF: age (p =0.76), gender (p= 0.81), baseline NIHSS (p=0.055), final infarct volumes (p=0.20), and recanalization rates (p=0.19). However, IRF subjects had lower NIHSS (p<0.001) and mRS (p=0.017) at day 7. Time to treatment defined as symptom onset to groin puncture was not significantly associated with discharge disposition (p=0.119). Only 1/22 (4.5%) subjects who were discharged to SNF achieved a 90 day mRS ≤2, compared to 41/92 (44.6%) in the IRF group or 48/51 (94.1%) in the home group (p < 0.001). When stratified by stroke severity: for mRS=0-3, there were no differences in favorable outcomes; mRS=4, 1/7 (14.3%) showed improvement at SNF compared to 21/27 (77.8%) at IRF (p=0.008); mRS =5, 5/14 (35.7%) showed improvement at SNF compared to 28/37 (75.7%) at IRF (p=0.013). Conclusions: Despite having similar characteristics following acute stroke treatment, not only did subjects who went to SNF compared to IRF have more unfavorable outcomes, they were less likely to make improvement. These findings show the continued importance of post-stroke rehabilitation, even in the endovascular era.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Anna Ramos-Pachón ◽  
Álvaro García-Tornel ◽  
Mònica Millán ◽  
Marc Ribó ◽  
Sergi Amaro ◽  
...  

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> 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. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> 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. <b><i>Results:</i></b> 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], <i>p</i> 0.03) and good functional outcome decreased (mRS ≤2 at 90 days: OR 0.6 [0.4–0.9], <i>p</i> 0.015) during the pandemic period. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> 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.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dileep R Yavagal ◽  
Vasu Saini ◽  
Violiza Inoa ◽  
Hannah E Gardener ◽  
Sheila O Martins ◽  
...  

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.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolle W Davis ◽  
Meghan Bailey ◽  
Natalie Buchwald ◽  
Amreen Farooqui ◽  
Anna Khanna

Background/Objective: There is growing importance on discovering factors that delay time to intervention for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients, as rapid intervention remains essential for better patient outcomes. The management of these patients involves a multidisciplinary effort and quality improvement initiatives to safely increase treatment with intravenous thrombolytic (IV tPa). The objective of this pilot is to evaluate factors of acute stroke care in the emergency department (ED) and the impact they have on IV tPa administration. Methods: A sample of 89 acute ischemic stroke patients that received IV tPa from a single academic medical institution was selected for retrospective analysis. System characteristics (presence of a stroke nurse and time of day) and patient characteristics (mode of arrival and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) on arrival) were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression to address the study question. Results: The mean door to needle time is 53.74 minutes ( + 38.06) with 74.2% of patients arriving to the ED via emergency medical services (EMS) and 25.8% having a stroke nurse present during IV tPa administration. Mode of arrival ( p = .001) and having a stroke nurse present ( p = .022) are significant predictors of door to needle time in the emergency department (ED). Conclusion: While many factors can influence door to needle times in the ED, we did not find NIHSS on arrival or time of day to be significant factors. Patients arriving to the ED by personal vehicle will have a significant delay in IV tPa administration, therefore emphasizing the importance of using EMS. Perhaps more importantly, collaborative efforts including the addition of a specialized stroke nurse significantly decreased time to IV tPa administration for AIS patients. With this dedicated role, accelerated triage and more effective management of AIS patients is accomplished, leading to decreased intervention times and potentially improving patient outcomes.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul G. Nogueira ◽  
Jason M. Davies ◽  
Rishi Gupta ◽  
Ameer E. Hassan ◽  
Thomas Devlin ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose: The degree to which the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected systems of care, in particular, those for time-sensitive conditions such as stroke, remains poorly quantified. We sought to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 in the overall screening for acute stroke utilizing a commercial clinical artificial intelligence platform. Methods: Data were derived from the Viz Platform, an artificial intelligence application designed to optimize the workflow of patients with acute stroke. Neuroimaging data on suspected patients with stroke across 97 hospitals in 20 US states were collected in real time and retrospectively analyzed with the number of patients undergoing imaging screening serving as a surrogate for the amount of stroke care. The main outcome measures were the number of computed tomography (CT) angiography, CT perfusion, large vessel occlusions (defined according to the automated software detection), and severe strokes on CT perfusion (defined as those with hypoperfusion volumes >70 mL) normalized as number of patients per day per hospital. Data from the prepandemic (November 4, 2019 to February 29, 2020) and pandemic (March 1 to May 10, 2020) periods were compared at national and state levels. Correlations were made between the inter-period changes in imaging screening, stroke hospitalizations, and thrombectomy procedures using state-specific sampling. Results: A total of 23 223 patients were included. The incidence of large vessel occlusion on CT angiography and severe strokes on CT perfusion were 11.2% (n=2602) and 14.7% (n=1229/8328), respectively. There were significant declines in the overall number of CT angiographies (−22.8%; 1.39–1.07 patients/day per hospital, P <0.001) and CT perfusion (−26.1%; 0.50–0.37 patients/day per hospital, P <0.001) as well as in the incidence of large vessel occlusion (−17.1%; 0.15–0.13 patients/day per hospital, P <0.001) and severe strokes on CT perfusion (−16.7%; 0.12–0.10 patients/day per hospital, P <0.005). The sampled cohort showed similar declines in the rates of large vessel occlusions versus thrombectomy (18.8% versus 19.5%, P =0.9) and comprehensive stroke center hospitalizations (18.8% versus 11.0%, P =0.4). Conclusions: A significant decline in stroke imaging screening has occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis underscores the broader application of artificial intelligence neuroimaging platforms for the real-time monitoring of stroke systems of care.


Stroke ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shyam Prabhakaran ◽  
Robin Hamann ◽  
Kathleen O’Neill ◽  
Michelle Gardner ◽  
Peggy Jones

Background: Critical access hospitals (CAH) are the first point of stroke care in many rural regions of the United States (US). The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN), a network of 51 CAH in Illinois, began a quality improvement program to address acute stroke care in 2009. We evaluated the performance on several metrics in acute stroke care at CAH between 2009 and 2011. Methods: Currently, 28 of 51 CAHs in Illinois currently participate in the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines - Stroke (GWTG-S) registry for quality improvement. The GWTG-S registry captured elements including demographics, diagnosis, times of arrival, imaging completion, and intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) administration, and final discharge disposition. We analyzed the change in percent of stroke patients receiving tPA, door-to-needle (DTN) time, and proportion of total stroke patients admitted versus transferred to another facility over the 3 years. Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney tests were used as appropriate. Results: In the baseline assessment (2009), there were 111 strokes from 8 sites which grew to 12 sites and 305 strokes in year 1 (2010) and 14 sites and 328 strokes in year 3 (2011). The rate of tPA use for ischemic stroke was 2.2% in 2009, 4.0% in 2010, and 6.2% in 2011 (P=0.20). EMS arrival (41.1%), EMS pre-notification (82.6%), door-to-CT times (median 35 minutes; 34.6% < 25 minutes), and DTN times (average 93 minutes; 13.3% DTN time < 60 minutes) were not different over time. The rate of transfer from CAH to another hospital (51.3%) was constant. Every patient that received tPA except 1 (96.9%) was transferred (drip-ship) for post-tPA care. Conclusions: Improving acute stroke care at CAHs is feasible and represents a significant opportunity to increase tPA utilization in rural areas. As stroke systems develop, it is vital that CAHs be included in quality improvement efforts. The ICAHN stroke collaborative provided the opportunity to coordinate resources, share best practices, participate in targeted educational programming, and utilize data for performance improvement through the funded GWTG-S registry.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher D Streib ◽  
Oladi Bentho ◽  
Kathryn Bard ◽  
Eric Jaton ◽  
Sarah Engkjer ◽  
...  

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.


Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco A Gonzalez Castellon ◽  
James A BOBENHOUSE ◽  
David Franco ◽  
Beth L Malina ◽  
Mindy Cook ◽  
...  

Introduction: Stroke is a leading cause of disability in the United States. Disparities in stroke care between metropolitan and rural areas have long been recognized. Access to high-level timely stroke expertise improves outcomes, but in rural areas this is limited by sparse availability of stroke specialists. Since 2006, the Nebraska Stroke Advisory Council, a statewide coalition of stroke experts and stakeholders, began implementing strategies to improve stroke care. In 2016, the Nebraska legislature approved Bill 722, mandating the development of stroke systems of care. In 2018, the AHA and the Helmsley Charitable Trust launched Mission: Lifeline Stroke, a coordinated 3-year program to enhance stroke systems of care in Nebraska. Purpose: To assess advances in acute stroke care in Nebraska after implementing a statewide stroke system of care focused on rural areas. Methods: The Council joined with AHA to expand public and professional stroke education offerings including workshops, conferences, and EMS trainings. They developed state specific treatment guidelines and created educational reinforcement materials. From 2016 to 2019 Get With The Guidelines® (GWTG) was used for stroke data collection and quality improvement in Nebraska. GWTG participating hospitals expanded from 7 to 40 sites (21 critical access). Results: The number of stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack cases reported more than doubled from 2016 to 2019 (1848 to 3987 cases). The door to CT initiated in < 25 minutes improved by 13%. IV alteplase therapy gains included: utilization increased from 8.7% to 11.3%; median door to drug time reduced from 54 to 42 minutes; and door to drug within 60 minutes of arrival increased from 67% to 80.4%.The number of alteplase monitored patients doubled and mechanical thrombectomy cases increased from 77 in 2017 to 138 in 2019. Conclusion: Implementation of strategies in Nebraska, with an emphasis on rural critical access hospitals, led to significant improvements in acute stroke care. This work represents the authors’ independent analysis of local or multicenter data gathered using the AHA Get With The Guidelines® Patient Management Tool but is not an analysis of the national GWTG dataset and does not represent findings from the AHA GWTG National Program


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 159-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara K. Rostanski ◽  
Joshua I. Stillman ◽  
Lauren R. Schaff ◽  
Crismely A. Perdomo ◽  
Ava L. Liberman ◽  
...  

Objective: To determine whether e-mail is a useful mechanism to provide prompt, case-specific data feedback and improve door-to-needle (DTN) time for acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) in the emergency department (ED) at a high-volume academic stroke center. Methods: We instituted a quality improvement project at Columbia University Medical Center where clinical details are shared via e-mail with the entire treatment team after every case of IV-tPA administration in the ED. Door-to-needle and component times were compared between the prefeedback (January 2013 to March 2015) and postfeedback intervention (April 2015 to June 2016) periods. Results: A total of 273 cases were included in this analysis, 102 (37%) in the postintervention period. Median door-to-stroke code activation (2 vs 0 minutes, P < .01), door-to-CT Scan (21 vs 18 minutes, P < .01), and DTN (54 vs 49 minutes, P = .17) times were shorter in the postintervention period, although the latter did not reach statistical significance. The proportion of cases with the fastest DTN (≤45 minutes) was higher in the postintervention period (29.2% vs 42.2%, P = .03). Conclusion: E-mail is a simple and effective tool to provide rapid feedback and promote interdisciplinary communication to improve acute stroke care in the ED.


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