Evaluation of the implementation of a 24-hr stroke thrombolysis emergency treatment for patients with acute ischaemic stroke.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To assess the trends of intravenous (IV) thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) among patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) admitted to our hospital between 2012-2014 and investigate the effects of a 24-hr stroke thrombolysis emergency treatment on the intrahospital clinical data and outcomes of these patients treated with IV rt-PA thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND

Although prenotification of stroke by emergency medical services has been endorsed by the national recommendations and implemented in some developed countries, the development in China is limited.

DESIGN

A retrospective, single-centre, observational study.

METHODS

Patients with AIS admitted to our hospital between January 2012-December 2014 were included; those who received IV rt-PA thrombolysis within 4.5 hr of onset were investigated. Demographic characteristics, including age and sex, and clinical data and outcomes, including onset-to-treatment time (OTT), door-to-needle time (DNT), premorbid modified Rankin Scale score and proportion of patients treated per year, were all recorded.

RESULTS

The proportion of patients with AIS who received thrombolytic therapy within 4.5 hr increased from 2012-2014. The baseline characteristics of all patients were similar. Since the implementation of 24-hr stroke thrombolysis emergency treatment in 2013, the median DNT significantly decreased in 2014 after implementation (42 min) compared with that in 2012 before implementation (81 min) (p < .05). Moreover, the admission-to-imaging time (37 vs. 33 vs. 36 min) and OTT (176 vs. 147 vs. 124 min) significantly decreased during the 3 years (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The 24-hr stroke thrombolysis emergency treatment reduced in-hospital delay before thrombolytic therapy but had no effect on the functional outcomes of the patients with AIS.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study provides opportunities to improve the experiences in using 24-h stroke thrombolysis emergency treatment in patients with AIS in clinical practice.