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Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on stroke admissions and quality of stroke interventional treatment in Masovian Voivodeship
Affiliations- Clinic of Neurology, Military Institute of Medicine, Szaserów 128, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
- Department of Neurology with Stroke Unit, John Paul II Western Hospital, Daleka 11, 05-825 Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Military Institute of Medicine, Szaserow 128, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract
Aim of study. To assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the pathway of stroke interventional services and major quality indicators of stroke reperfusion therapies in Masovian Voivodeship.
Materials and methods. An exploratory retrospective analysis was performed at two comprehensive stroke centres to assess changes in stroke care between the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (weeks 10–18 of 2020) and the same period in 2019.
Results. Of the 419 included stroke patients, 186 (44.4%) presented during the COVID-19 period. There was an increase in in-hospital delays for reperfusion therapies, and a significant decrease in the number of acute cerebrovascular accident admissions, predominantly related to a low number of transient ischaemic attack (TIA) admissions to hospital (-20.17%). The delays were shorter in the mothership paradigm than in the drip-and-ship paradigm of acute stroke care (onset-to-groin 293 vs. 232 min, p = 0.03). No differences in stroke aetiology, large-vessel occlusion frequency, or severe stroke admissions in the COVID-19 period were observed.
Conclusions and clinical implications. COVID-19’s emergence was correlated with a significant reduction in admissions to stroke departments, particularly for TIAs, and a prolonged delay in reperfusion stroke treatment, especially in the drip-and-ship paradigm. An educational campaign to raise public awareness of TIA and/or stroke symptoms and immediate reorganisation of stroke care during the COVID-19 era are necessary.
Abstract
Aim of study. To assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the pathway of stroke interventional services and major quality indicators of stroke reperfusion therapies in Masovian Voivodeship.
Materials and methods. An exploratory retrospective analysis was performed at two comprehensive stroke centres to assess changes in stroke care between the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (weeks 10–18 of 2020) and the same period in 2019.
Results. Of the 419 included stroke patients, 186 (44.4%) presented during the COVID-19 period. There was an increase in in-hospital delays for reperfusion therapies, and a significant decrease in the number of acute cerebrovascular accident admissions, predominantly related to a low number of transient ischaemic attack (TIA) admissions to hospital (-20.17%). The delays were shorter in the mothership paradigm than in the drip-and-ship paradigm of acute stroke care (onset-to-groin 293 vs. 232 min, p = 0.03). No differences in stroke aetiology, large-vessel occlusion frequency, or severe stroke admissions in the COVID-19 period were observed.
Conclusions and clinical implications. COVID-19’s emergence was correlated with a significant reduction in admissions to stroke departments, particularly for TIAs, and a prolonged delay in reperfusion stroke treatment, especially in the drip-and-ship paradigm. An educational campaign to raise public awareness of TIA and/or stroke symptoms and immediate reorganisation of stroke care during the COVID-19 era are necessary.
Keywords
stroke, COVID-19, healthcare system, mechanical thrombectomy, stroke quality measures
About this articleTitle
Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on stroke admissions and quality of stroke interventional treatment in Masovian Voivodeship
Journal
Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska
Issue
Article type
Short Communication
Pages
223-226
Published online
2021-03-25
Page views
1297
Article views/downloads
596
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2021;55(2):223-226.
Keywords
stroke
COVID-19
healthcare system
mechanical thrombectomy
stroke quality measures
Authors
Aleksander Dębiec
Marta Bilik
Piotr Piasecki
Adam Stępień
Jacek Staszewski
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