scholarly journals Emergency Medicine Physicians Accurately Select Acute Stroke Patients for Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Treatment Using a Checklist

Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 663-665
Author(s):  
Ketevan Berekashvili ◽  
Alicia M. Zha ◽  
Mohammed Abdel-Al ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Jazba H. Soomro ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose— There is uncertainty among many emergency medicine physicians about the decision to give intravenous tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator), which limits its use. A checklist approach has been suggested as a solution. We compared agreement on tPA treatment in suspected acute ischemic stroke patients between emergency medicine residents (EMRs) using a checklist and vascular neurology fellows (VNFs). Methods— Every suspected acute stroke patient brought to our comprehensive stroke center emergency room within 4.5 hours from symptom onset was prospectively evaluated simultaneously and independently by VNFs and EMRs. The latter used a tPA screening checklist, which included guideline exclusion criteria to help with their treatment decision. Agreement was determined using kappa (k) statistics. Results— Over 6 months, 60 patients were enrolled; 10% large vessel atherosclerosis, 18% cardioembolism, 12% small vessel, 12% cryptogenic, and 47% mimic. Forty-two percent were deemed tPA eligible by the EMR, 30% by the VNF, and 37% by the vascular neurology faculty. There were no complications in any tPA-treated patients. Agreement was substantial between EMR and VNF (κ=0.68 [95% CI, 0.49–0.87]) and between EMR and vascular neurology faculty (κ=0.69 [95% CI, 0.50–0.87]). Stroke mimics were the main cause of disagreement between EMR and VNF (κ=0.24 [95% CI, −0.15 to 0.63]) and between EMR and vascular neurology faculty (κ=0.35 [95% CI, −0.08 to 0.78]). Conclusions— Our data suggest that with the aid of a checklist, EMRs can accurately treat stroke patients with tPA. Areas for improvement include recognition of stroke mimics. Further studies are warranted to evaluate checklist-enhanced tPA treatment to allay emergency medicine physician uncertainty and expand the use of tPA.

QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Aref ◽  
S Farag ◽  
S Helmy ◽  
H Mahmoud

Abstract Background Thrombolysis with tissue-type plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) is a well-proved, widely used treatment in acute ischemic stroke patients, many predictors of functional outcome have been proposed as Age, vascular risk factors, initial clinical evaluation on admission using National institute of health stroke scale(NIHSS), functional state of patient(b.L) baseline before stroke and 3 months (3m) after stroke using modified Rankin stroke scale (MRS)and the most controversial Diffusion weighted image characteristics (volume, heterogeneity) Objective To evaluate DWI MRI characteristics (volume, heterogeneity) as a predictor for outcome in Acute stroke patients treated by IV-tPA Patients and Methods This study will be done on a sample of 100 acute ischemic stroke Egyptian patients receiving intra-venous tissue -type plasminogen activator presenting to Ain-Shams university hospitals Results Highly statistically significant (p-value < 0.001) Positive correlation (r = 0.394) between volume (DWI) and MRS (3m) post discharge in studied patients, No statistically significant (pvalue > 0.05) relation between heterogeneity and other studied parameters (MRS, NIHSS D & ADC values) in studied patients Conclusion DWI infarct volume is a predictor for outcome in acute ischemic stroke patients treated by tPA


Stroke ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodi A Dodds ◽  
Ying Xian ◽  
Shubin Sheng ◽  
Gregg Fonarow ◽  
Ronald A Matsouaka ◽  
...  

Background: Intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) administration improves outcomes in acute ischemic stroke. However, young patients (<40 years old) presenting with stroke symptoms may experience delays in treatment due to misdiagnosis or a reluctance to treat since they do not fit the profile of a typical stroke patient. Methods: We analyzed data from the large national Get With The Guidelines–Stroke registry for acute ischemic stroke patients hospitalized between January 2009 and September 2015. Multivariable models with generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to test for differences between younger (age 18-40) and older (age > 40) acute ischemic stroke patients, controlling for patient and hospital characteristics including stroke severity. Results: Of 1,320,965 AIS patients admitted to participating hospitals, 2.3% (30,448) were aged 18-40. Among these patients, 12.5% received rt-PA versus 8.8% of those aged >40 (p<0.001). Of patients arriving within 3.5 hours of symptom onset without contraindications, 68.7% of younger patients received IV rt-PA versus 63.3% of older patients (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.30, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.40), without evidence that age-related differences varied by sex (interaction p-value 0.25). Odds ratios of achieving target door-to-CT times and door-to-needle (DTN) times, and outcomes of rtPA-treated patients, are shown in the Table. Conclusions: Young acute ischemic stroke patients did not receive rt-PA treatment at lower rates than older patients. Outcomes were better and the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was lower in the young patients. However, younger patients had significantly longer door-to-CT and DTN times, providing an opportunity to improve the care of these patients.


Stroke ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia Adcock ◽  
Justin Choi ◽  
Ashley Petrone

Background: Telestroke networks have effectively increased the number of ischemic stroke patients who have access to acute stroke therapy. However, the availability of a dedicated group of stroke subspecialists is not always feasible. Hypothesis: Rates of tPA recommendation, accuracy of final diagnosis and post-tPA hemorrhagic complications do not differ significantly between neurologists and an emergency-medicine physician during telestroke consultations. Methods: Retrospective review of all telestroke consults performed at a comprehensive stroke center during one year. Statistical analysis: Chi squared test. Results: 303 consults were performed among 6 spoke sites. 16% (48/303) were completed by the emergency medicine physician; 25% (76/303) were performed by non stroke-trained neurologists, and 60% (179/303) were completed by a board-certified Vascular Neurologist. Overall rate of tPA recommendation was 40% (104/255), 38% (18/48), 41% (73/179), and 41% (31/76) among the all neurology-trained, emergency medicine- trained, stroke neurology-trained and other neurology- trained provider groups respectively (p = .427). Accuracy of final stroke diagnosis was 77% (14/18) and 72% (75/104) in the emergency-medicine trained and neurology-trained provider groups (p = 0.777) No symptomatic hemorrhagic complications following the administration of tPA via telestroke consultation occurred in any group over this time period. One asymptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was observed (0.96% or 1/104) in the neurology-trained provider group. Conclusion: Our results did not illustrate any statistically significant difference between care provided by an Emergency Medicine-trained physician and neurologists during telestroke consultation. While our study is limited by its relatively low numbers, it suggests that identifying a non-neurologist provider who has requisite clinical experience with acute stroke patients can safely and appropriately provide telestroke consultation. The lack of formerly trained neurologists, therefore may not need to serve as an impediment to building an effective telestroke network. Future efforts should be focused on illuminating all strategies that facilitate sustainable telestroke implementation.


Stroke ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 1497-1503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew E. Ehrlich ◽  
Li Liang ◽  
Haolin Xu ◽  
Andrzej S. Kosinski ◽  
Adrian F. Hernandez ◽  
...  

Stroke ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 3228-3237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Peña-Martínez ◽  
Violeta Durán-Laforet ◽  
Alicia García-Culebras ◽  
Fernando Ostos ◽  
Macarena Hernández-Jiménez ◽  
...  

Background and Purpose— Recanalization of the occluded artery is a primary goal in stroke treatment. Unfortunately, endovascular treatment is not always available, and tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) therapy is limited by its narrow therapeutic window; importantly, the rate of early arterial recanalization after tPA administration is low, especially for platelet-rich thrombi. The mechanisms for this tPA resistance are not well known. Since neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been implicated in this setting, our aim was to study whether NET pharmacological modulation can reverse tPA resistance and the role of TLR4 (Toll-like receptor 4), previously related to NET formation, in thrombosis. Methods— To this goal, we have used a mouse photothrombotic stroke model, which produces a fibrin-free thrombus composed primarily of aggregated platelets and thrombi obtained from human stroke patients. Results— Our results demonstrate that (1) administration of DNase-I, which promotes NETs lysis, but not of tPA, recanalizes the occluded vessel improving photothrombotic stroke outcome; (2) a preventive treatment with Cl-amidine, impeding NET formation, completely precludes thrombotic occlusion; (3) platelet TLR4 mediates NET formation after photothrombotic stroke; and (4) ex vivo fresh platelet-rich thrombi from ischemic stroke patients are effectively lysed by DNase-I. Conclusions— Hence, our data open new avenues for recanalization of platelet-rich thrombi after stroke, especially to overcome tPA resistance.


Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 2359-2365 ◽  
Author(s):  
A-Ching Chao ◽  
Ching-Kuan Liu ◽  
Chih-Hung Chen ◽  
Huey-Juan Lin ◽  
Chung-Hsiang Liu ◽  
...  

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