Door-to-needle times in patients treated by on-site and off-site on-call neurologists. PRISA study.

BACKGROUND

Hospital on-call neurology shifts are frequently on-site, but some on-call services may be off-site or mixed. Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is one of the main reperfusion treatments for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). This study assesses door-to-needle times (DNT) when the neurologist is on-site or off-site.

METHODS

We performed a prospective, observational study from 2012 to 2017, including patients with AIS and treated with tPA. Data were collected on sex, age, door-to-scan time, scan-to-needle time, and DNT. The on-duty neurologist was on-site from 08:00 to 20:00, and on call but off-site from 20:00 to 8:00. Three groups were formed: on-site, off-site, and off-site with resident present.

RESULTS

Our sample included 138 patients. The mean age was 69.7 years, and 45.7% of patients were women. Ninety-six patients were admitted during the on-site shift, 25 during the off-site shift, and 17 during the off-site-resident present shift. Patients admitted during the on-site and off-site shifts presented DNTs of 59 and 72 minutes, respectively (P =  .003). DNTs were 59, 74, and 68 minutes (P =  .001), respectively, for the on-site, off-site, and off-site-resident present shifts; the difference between DNTs for on-site and off-site shifts was statistically significant. No differences were observed between DNTs according to time of day (morning, afternoon, or night), or between weekdays and weekends.

CONCLUSION

DNT is influenced by whether the on-duty neurologist is on- or off-site at the time of code stroke activation. The presence of a neurology resident can reduce DNT.