Prehospital factors determining regional variation in thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke
Therapies Thursday, January 9th, 2014Wiley: 12/23/13
Background
Treatment rates with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator vary by region, which can be partially explained by organizational models of stroke care. A recent study demonstrated that prehospital factors determine a higher thrombolysis rate in a centralized vs. decentralized model in the north of the Netherlands.
Aim
To investigate prehospital factors that may explain variation in thrombolytic therapy between a centralized and a decentralized model.
Methods
A consecutive case observational study was conducted in the north of the Netherlands comparing patients arriving within 4·5 h in a centralized vs. decentralized stroke care model. Factors investigated were transportation mode, prehospital diagnostic accuracy, and preferential referral of thrombolysis candidates. Potential confounders were adjusted using logistic regression analysis. Read more