The Role of Personality Associated with In-Hospital Delay in Intravenous Thrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke
Abstract Background: Decreasing the in-hospital delay is one of the critical effective strategies for thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke. we examined whether physician personality traits are associated with in-hospital delay in conducting treatment of intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke among neurologists.Methods: Overall 354 consecutive patients who received intravenous thrombolysis during a 2.5 year-period in emergency department were included. Self-reported questionnaires of the Big Five Inventory and demographic characteristics were distributed among 13 neurologists. Multivariable analysis was performed to explore the effects of the Big Five Personality Traits on in-hospital delay for acute ischemic stroke. Results: The traits of agreeableness in all physicians decreased the likelihood of in-hospital delay (OR: 0.831, 95% CI: 0.766-0.901, p<0.001). The traits of openness in female physicians (OR:0.646; 95% CI:0.469-0.890; p=0.008) and the traits of extraversion in male physicians (OR:0.613; 95% CI: 0.475-0.791; p<0.001) decreased the likelihood of in-hospital delay. The traits of conscientiousness in female (OR: 1.713, 95% CI: 1.209–2.427; p=0.002) and the traits of openness in male (OR: 1.431; 95% CI: 1.802-1.892; p=0.012) increased the likelihood of in-hospital delay. Conclusions: The study demonstrate that the personality traits of physician are associated with in-hospital delay for thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke.