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Characteristics of stroke units and stroke teams in Spain in 2018. Pre2Ictus project
M Alonso de Leciñana1, A Morales2, M Martínez-Zabaleta3
1Servicio de Neurología, Centro de Ictus, Hospital Universitario La Paz, IdiPAZ, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Introduction:
The aim of this work is to describe the characteristics of stroke units and stroke teams in Spain.
Methods:
We performed a cross-sectional study based on an ad-hoc questionnaire designed by 5 experts and addressed to neurologists leading stroke units/teams that had been operational for ≥ 1 year.
Results:
The survey was completed by 43 stroke units (61% of units in Spain) and 14 stroke teams. A mean (standard deviation) of 4 (3) neurologists were assigned to each stroke unit/team; 98% of stroke units (and 38% of stroke teams) have an on-call neurologist available 24 hours a day, 98% of units (79% of stroke teams) included specialised nurses, 86% of units (71% of stroke teams) included a social worker, and 81% of units (71% of stroke teams) included a rehabilitation physician. Most stroke units (80%) had 4--6 beds with continuous non-invasive monitoring. The mean number of unmonitored beds was 14 (8) for stroke units and 12 (7) for stroke teams. The mean duration of non-invasive monitoring was 3 (1) days. All stroke units and 86% of stroke teams had intravenous thrombolysis available, and 81% of stroke units and 21% of stroke teams were able to perform mechanical thrombectomy, whereas the remaining centres had referral pathways in place. Telestroke systems were in place at 44% of stroke units, providing support to a mean of 4 (3) centres. Activity is recorded in clinical registries by 77% of stroke units and 50% of stroke teams, but less than 75% of data is completed in 25% of cases.
Conclusions:
Most stroke units/teams comply with the current recommendations. The systematic use of clinical registries should be improved to further improve patient care.
