Effect of implementing care protocols on acute ischemic stroke outcomes: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Clinical Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Stroke care protocols aim to enhance patient outcomes, facilitate functional recovery, and improve long-term rehabilitation.
• Effective implementation is key to achieving these goals in acute ischemic stroke management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of implementing standardized care protocols on the outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke.
• To synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of therapeutic protocols in acute ischemic stroke care.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of primary studies published between 2011 and 2020.
• Inclusion criteria focused on acute ischemic stroke populations and outcomes related to protocol implementation.
• Bibliographic search across 7 databases, with article selection by two independent reviewers and narrative synthesis of results.

Main Results:

• Included 30 studies from 11,226 retrieved publications.
• Protocol implementation correlated with a 70.8% increase in reperfusion therapies (thrombolysis, thrombectomy).
• Improvements observed in clinical prognosis (45.5%), reduced hospital stay (25.0%), and decreased mortality (25.0% in relevant studies).

Conclusions:

• Implementing stroke care protocols is vital for increasing reperfusion therapy rates and improving patient prognosis.
• Evidence supports better functional outcomes and improved post-discharge prognosis following protocol implementation.
• Further investment is necessary to mitigate post-thrombolysis complications and reduce mortality rates in acute ischemic stroke patients.