ABSTRACT
Background: Stroke is a time-dependent emergency. Most patients with acute ischemic stroke are excluded from reperfusion therapies due to late consultation. Aims: To estimate the arrival times of patients with stroke to the Emergency Room (ER) of a public hospital. To identify factors associated with early consultation. Material and Methods: A convenience sample, 583 patients aged 71 ± 13 years (55% males) consulting for stroke at an emergency room was analyzed in terms of delay between onset of symptoms and arrival to the ER, demographics and etiology of stroke. Results: The admission diagnoses were ischemic stroke in 76%, intracerebral hemorrhage in 12%, transient ischemic attack in 9% and subarachnoid hemorrhage in 3%. The median time of arrival was 8 hours and 11 minutes after the onset of symptoms. Nineteen percent of consultations for ischemic stroke occurred within 3 hours of symptom onset, and 38% within 6 hours. In the logistic regression analysis, having an address near the hospital and the severity of stroke were associated with early consultation with a combined odds ratio of 5.97 (95% confidence intervals 3.23-11.04). Conclusions: There were significant differences in the arrival times of patients with stroke. Only a low proportion of patients with ischemic stroke consulted within the window for reperfusion therapies. Severe strokes and living near the hospital were associated with early consultation.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Brain Ischemia , Stroke/therapy , Stroke/epidemiology , Cerebral Hemorrhage , Hospitals, PublicABSTRACT
Resumen Antecedentes: El ataque cerebrovascular (ACV) es una urgencia tiempo-dependiente. La mayoría de los pacientes con infarto cerebral quedan excluidos de las terapias de reperfusión por consultar tardíamente. Se desconocen los factores asociados a llegada y evaluación precoz de pacientes con ACV agudo en nuestra población. Objetivos: Identificar los factores asociados, llegada y evaluación precoz de pacientes con ACV agudo. Pacientes y Métodos: Muestra por conveniencia de las consultas por ACV realizadas en el Turno N° 1, del SU del Hospital Dr. Hernán Henríquez de Temuco, entre enero de 2016 y diciembre de 2017. El análisis estadístico se realizó con el software STATA 14.0. Resultados: Se registraron 584 consultas por ACV. La mediana del tiempo de llegada fue de 8 h y 11 min. La mediana del tiempo para la evaluación por neurólogo(a) fue de 66 min. Tener domicilio en Temuco-Padre Las Casas y una mayor severidad del ACV se asociaron a consultar precozmente con un OR = 5,97 (3,23-11,04). Para evaluación dentro de una hora, las variables severidad, llegada en ambulancia y consulta en menos de 3 h, fueron estadísticamente significativas, con un OR combinado de 10,86 (IC 95%: 5,15-22,94). Conclusiones: Los factores más fuertemente asociados a llegada y evaluación precoz incluyen residir en comunas cercanas al hospital y presentar síntomas más severos de ACV. Se sugiere implementar estrategias para aumentar el grado de reconocimiento de síntomas de ACV y para disminuir las barreras de acceso a hospitales que traten a este tipo pacientes.
Introduction: Stroke is a time-dependent emergency. The majority of patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke are excluded from reperfusion therapies due to late consultation. The factors associated with early arrival and evaluation of patients with acute stroke in our population are unknown. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with early arrival and evaluation of patients with acute stroke. Methods: A convenience sample of the stroke consultations made during shift # 1 at the ER between January 2016 and December 2017, was analyzed. Results: There were 584 stroke consultations in the period. 55.1% were men. The median time of arrival was 8 hours and 11 minutes. The median time for evaluation by neurologist was 66 minutes. Having an address in Temuco-Padre Las Casas and the severity of stroke was associated with early consultation with a combined OR of 5.97 (CI 95% 3.23-11.04). For an evaluation within one hour, in the logistic regression model, the variables severity, arrival in ambulance and consultation in less than 3 hours were statistically significant with a combined OR of 10.86 (CI 95% 5.15-22.94). Conclusions: The factors associated with early consultation and evaluation include residing in communes near the hospital and presenting more severe symptoms of stroke. It is suggested to implement strategies to increase the degree of recognition of stroke symptoms and to reduce barriers to access hospitals that treat patients with stroke.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Patients , Cerebral Infarction , Stroke , Emergencies , Hospitals , Prospective Studies , Observational StudyABSTRACT
Background: Neurological emergencies constitute 10-15% of medical emergencies. Doctor Hernán Henríquez Aravena Hospital has in house neurologists present permanently at the Emergency Room since July 2013. Aim: To estimate the waiting times for neurological consultations; to compare the waiting times between neurovascular (UV) and non-vascular (UNV) emergencies; and to compare the waiting times of two prioritization (triage) models. Material and Methods: A convenience sample of the consultations made during shift # 1 at the emergency room between January and December 2016, was analyzed. Results: There were 859 consultations in the period, 570 for UNV and 289 for UV. Mean age of consultants was 57 years and 52% were women. The median time for having an evaluation by a neurologist was 106 min (132 and 81 min for UNV and UV respectively). Twenty seven percent of patients were evaluated in less than one hour (23 and 36% of UNV and UV, respectively). The change of the prioritization model decreased the waiting time by 81 and 32 min for UNV and UV, respectively. Conclusions: There were significant differences in waiting times between neurovascular and non-vascular emergencies. Most patients were not evaluated in less than 60 minutes. The change in the initial stratification model was associated with a significant reduction in the waiting times for neurological emergencies.