Exploring the Unmet Need in Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Not Treated With Intravenous Alteplase: The Get With The Guidelines‐Stroke Registry

BACKGROUND Early administration of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV alteplase) improves functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke, yet many patients are not treated with IV alteplase. There is a need to understand the reasons for nontreatment and the short‐ and long‐term outcomes in this patient population. METHODS We analyzed patients ≥65 years old with a primary diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke presenting within 24 hours of time last known well (LKW) but not treated with IV alteplase from 1630 Get With The Guidelines‐Stroke hospitals in the United States between January 2016 and December 2016. We report clinical characteristics, reasons for withholding treatment, in‐hospital mortality, and 90‐day and 1‐year outcomes including costs, stratified by time from LKW to presentation (≤4.5, >4.5–6, and >6–24 hours). RESULTS Of 39 760 patients (median age 80 [25th–75th quartiles: 73–87], 56.7% female), 19 391 (48.8%) presented within 4.5 hours of LKW. In those with documented reasons for withholding IV alteplase, the most common reasons were rapid improvement of symptoms (3985/14 782, 27.0%) and mild symptoms (3791/14 782, 25.6%). In 1100 out of 1174 (93.7%) patients presenting in the >3.0‐ to 4.5‐hour time window, the most common reason for not treating was a delay in patient arrival. The most common discharge location for those presenting ≤4.5 hours since LKW was home (8660/19 391, 44.7%). The 90‐day mortality and readmission rates were 18.9% and 23.0% in those presenting ≤4.5 hours since LKW, 19.0% and 22.2% in those presenting between 4.5 and 6 hours, and 19.1% and 23.2% in those presenting between 6 and 24 hours. Median 90‐day total in‐hospital costs remained relatively high at $9471 (Q25–Q75: $5622–$21 356) in patients presenting ≤4.5 hours since LKW. CONCLUSIONS Patients within the Get With The Guidelines‐Stroke registry not treated with IV alteplase have a high risk of readmission and mortality and have high total in‐hospital and postdischarge costs. This study may inform future efforts to address the unmet need to improve the scope of IV alteplase delivery along with other aspects of acute ischemic stroke care and, consequently, outcomes in this patient population.

Using Simulation to Improve Adherence to Get With the Guidelines Time to First Shock

Background Evidence demonstrates that shocking patients in ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia in 2 minutes or less leads to improved outcomes. At our facility in Orlando, Florida, 4 of 7 time to first shock fallouts occurred in the intensive care unit. No standardization for conducting code situations existed in the intensive care unit. Objective To develop nurse simulation education and training to standardize intensive care unit code processes and improve compliance with timely defibrillation. Methods The sample consisted of intensive care unit nurses. Interventions included online education, simulation, and a postintervention survey. Analysis was conducted using the Get With the Guidelines program as well as descriptive statistics. Interventions Online education assigned to all intensive care unit nurses included electrocardiogram recognition and code documentation. Nurses and physicians collaborated to develop a diagram to identify roles needed for successful conduct of a code situation. A code simulation video was created, reflecting these roles, and embedded in the online education. The education was graded and remediated one-on-one with nurses. Intensive care unit nurses completed structured code simulations, allowing them to practice serving as the leader. Three months after the intervention, a survey was distributed to nurses. Results The time to first shock fallouts in the intensive care unit decreased by 100%, and the facility’s fallouts decreased by 71%. The facility’s adherence to the time to first shock metric increased from 42% to 83%. In a postintervention survey, 89% of nurses reported perceived improvement in knowledge, team leadership and communication, and confidence associated with code events. Conclusions Online education and code simulation positively affected time to first shock in code situations and empowered nurses to confidently function in these situations.

Abstract 10476: Patient Characteristics and Survival Outcomes of Cardiac Arrest in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory: Insights from Get with the Guidelines-Resuscitation Registry

Background: The characteristics and outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) have not been well-described. We compared the characteristics and outcomes of patients with an IHCA in the CCL versus those in the operating room (OR) and the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: Within the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation® registry, we identified patients 18 years of age or older with an IHCA in the CCL, OR, or ICU between 2000 and 2019. We compared rates of survival to discharge for patients in the CCL, OR, and ICU. Additionally, we examined predictors of survival to discharge for patients with IHCA in the CCL. Results: There were 6866, 5181, and 181,832 patients with an IHCA in the CCL, OR, and ICU, respectively. Patients with IHCAs in the CCL were more likely to have a shockable cardiac arrest rhythm as compared with those in the OR and ICU. Overall, 2614 (38.1%) patients with IHCA in the CCL survived to discharge, as compared with 30,833 (16.9%) from the ICU and 2096 (40.5%) from the OR. After adjustment for 27 patient and cardiac arrest factors, patients with IHCA in CCL were more likely to survive to discharge as compared with those with IHCA from the ICU (odds ratio, 1.37 [95% CI: 1.29-1.46], p<0.001). In contrast, they were less likely to survive to discharge as compared with those with IHCA in the OR (odds ratio, 0.81 [95% CI: 0.69-0.94], p=0.006). Predictors of survival to discharge in patients with IHCA in the CCL included white race, pulseless ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation, and IHCA during normal hours and on weekdays, while having myocardial infarction during this or prior hospitalization was associated with less survival to discharge. (Table). Conclusion: IHCA in the CCL is not uncommon and has a lower survival rate as compared with IHCA in other procedural areas such as the OR. The reasons for this difference deserve further study given that response to IHCAs in both settings should be similar.

Abstract 11781: Association of Rapid Response Teams With Hospital Mortality in Medicare Patients

Background: Rapid response teams (RRT) have been promoted as a strategy to reduce unexpected hospital deaths, as they are designed to evaluate and treat patients experiencing sudden decline. However, evidence to support their effectiveness in reducing in-hospital mortality remains uncertain. Methods: Using data from 56 hospitals participating in Get With The Guidelines Resuscitation linked to Medicare, we calculated annual rates of case-mix adjusted mortality for each hospital during 2000-2014. We constructed a hierarchical interrupted time series model to determine whether implementation of a RRT was associated with a reduction in mortality that was larger than expected based on pre-implementation trends alone. Results: Over the study period, the median annual number of Medicare admissions across study hospitals was 5214 (range: 408-18,398). The median duration of the pre-implementation period was 7.6 years comprising ~2.5 million admissions, and the median duration of the post-implementation period was 7.2 years comprising ~2.6 million admissions. Before implementation of RRTs, hospital mortality was already decreasing by 2.7% annually (Figure). Implementation of RRTs was not associated with change in mortality in the initial year of implementation (RR for model intercept: 0.98; 95% CI 0.94-1.02; P= 0.30) or in the mortality trend over time (RR for model slope: 1.01 per-year; 95% CI 0.99-1.02; P =0.30). Within individual hospitals, a RRT was associated with a significantly lower than expected mortality at 4 (7.1%) of hospitals, and significantly higher than expected mortality at 2 (3.6%), when compared to pre-implementation trends. Conclusion: Among a diverse sample of U.S. hospitals, we found that the implementation of a RRT was not associated with a significant reduction in hospital mortality. Given their prevalence in most U.S. hospitals, further studies are needed to understand best practices in composition, design, and implementation of RRTs.

Epinephrine before defibrillation in patients with shockable in-hospital cardiac arrest: propensity matched analysis

Objective To determine the use of epinephrine (adrenaline) before defibrillation for treatment of in-hospital cardiac arrest due to a ventricular arrhythmia and examine its association with patient survival. Design Propensity matched analysis. Setting 2000-18 data from 497 hospitals participating in the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation registry. Participants Adults aged 18 and older with an index in-hospital cardiac arrest due to an initial shockable rhythm treated with defibrillation. Interventions Administration of epinephrine before first defibrillation. Main outcome measures Survival to discharge; favorable neurological survival, defined as survival to discharge with none, mild, or moderate neurological disability measured using cerebral performance category scores; and survival after acute resuscitation (that is, return of spontaneous circulation for >20 minutes). A time dependent, propensity matched analysis was performed to adjust for confounding due to indication and evaluate the independent association of epinephrine before defibrillation with study outcomes. Results Among 34 820 patients with an initial shockable rhythm, 9630 (27.6%) were treated with epinephrine before defibrillation, contrary to current guidelines. In comparison with participants treated with defibrillation first, participants receiving epinephrine first were less likely to have a history of myocardial infarction or heart failure, but more likely to have renal failure, sepsis, pneumonia, and receive mechanical ventilation before in-hospital cardiac arrest (P<0.0001 for all). Treatment with epinephrine before defibrillation was strongly associated with delayed defibrillation (median 3 minutes v 0 minutes). In propensity matched analysis (9011 matched pairs), epinephrine before defibrillation was associated with lower odds of survival to discharge (25.2% v 29.9%; adjusted odds ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.74 to 0.88; P<0.001), favorable neurological survival (18.6% v 21.4%; 0.85, 0.76 to 0.92; P<0.001), and survival after acute resuscitation (64.4% v 69.4%; 0.76, 0.70 to 0.83; P<0.001). The above findings were consistent in a range of sensitivity analyses, including matching according to defibrillation time. Conclusions Contrary to current guidelines that prioritize immediate defibrillation for in-hospital cardiac arrest due to a shockable rhythm, more than one in four patients are treated with epinephrine before defibrillation, which is associated with worse survival.

Sex Differences in Ablation Strategy, Lesion Sets, and Complications of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: An Analysis From the GWTG-AFIB Registry

Background: When presenting for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, women, compared with men, tend to have more nonpulmonary vein triggers and advanced atrial disease. Whether this informs differences in AF ablation strategy is not well described. We aimed to characterize ablation strategy and complications by sex, using the Get With The Guidelines-AF registry. Methods: From the Get With The Guidelines-AF registry ablation feature, we included patients who underwent initial AF ablation procedure between January 7, 2016, and December 27, 2019. Patients were stratified based on AF type (paroxysmal versus nonparoxysmal) and sex. We compared patient demographics, ablation strategy, and complications by sex. Results: Among 5356 patients from 31 sites who underwent AF ablation, 1969 were women (36.8%). Women, compared with men, were older (66.8±9.6 versus 63.4±10.6, P <0.0001) and were more likely to have paroxysmal AF (59.4% versus 49.5%, P <0.0001). In women with nonparoxysmal AF, left atrial linear ablation was more frequent (roof line: 53.9% versus 45.3%, P =0.0002; inferior mitral isthmus line: 10.2% versus 7.0%, P =0.01; floor line: 46.1% versus 40.6%, P =0.02) than in men. In multivariable analysis, the association between patient sex and complications from ablation was not statistically significant. Conclusions: In this US wide AF ablation quality improvement registry, women with nonparoxysmal AF were more likely to receive adjunctive lesion sets compared with men. These findings suggest that patient sex may inform ablation strategy in ways that may not be strongly supported by evidence and emphasize the need to clarify optimal ablation strategies by sex.

Outcomes of Endovascular Therapy in Patients With Prestroke Mobility Impairment

Background and Purpose: Patients with prestroke mobility impairment (PSMI) were excluded from endovascular clinical trials. There are limited data regarding safety and outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy in this population. We used a large, national data set (Get With The Guidelines–Stroke) to evaluate the safety and outcomes of endovascular thrombectomy in patients with PSMI. Methods: We included patients who underwent endovascular thrombectomy in the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke registry between 2015 and 2019. PSMI was defined as the inability to ambulate independently. Generalized estimating equations for logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between PSMI and outcomes. Results: Of 56 762 patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy, 2919 (5.14%) had PSMI. PSMI was not associated with symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (6.0% versus 5.4%; P =0.979). In-hospital death or discharge to hospice occurred in 32.3% of patients with PSMI versus 17.5% without PSMI (adjusted odds ratio, 1.45 [1.32–1.58]). Conclusions: While procedural adverse outcomes were no higher in patients with PSMI, further study is necessary to determine clinical benefit in this population.