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Published on: January 15, 2017
Door-In-Door-Out Times and Functional Outcomes after Stroke in a Large Canadian Hub-and-Spoke Network
Insights
Door-in-door-out metrics (DIDO) for acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) were not linked to 90-day functional outcomes or death. Improving workflow outside daytime hours may reduce DIDO at primary stroke centers.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Door-in-door-out (DIDO) metrics for acute ischemic stroke patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) and their impact on outcomes are not well understood.
- Investigating DIDO determinants and their association with functional outcomes is crucial for stroke care optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between DIDO and 90-day functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients transferred for EVT.
- To identify patient clinical and workflow characteristics associated with DIDO.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, province-wide cohort study of 790 acute ischemic stroke patients transferred for EVT in Québec, Canada (2017-2020).
- DIDO calculated as time spent in the primary stroke center (PSC) emergency department.
- Logistic mixed models used to assess associations between DIDO, functional outcomes (modified Rankin score 0-2, death at 90 days), and patient characteristics.
Main Results:
- Median DIDO was 102 minutes; no significant association found between DIDO and 90-day favorable functional outcome or death.
- Arrival at the PSC outside daytime hours was significantly associated with longer DIDO (≥ 60 minutes).
Conclusions:
- Long DIDO times in Québec do not appear to impact 90-day functional outcomes or mortality for EVT transfer patients.
- Further research needed to identify and improve modifiable determinants of DIDO, particularly concerning off-hours workflow.
Background:
The determinants of door-in-door-out metrics (DIDO) at centers referring acute ischemic stroke patients for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) and the impact of DIDO on functional outcomes are unclear. Our primary objective was to study the association between DIDO and 90-day functional outcomes. Our secondary objective was to investigate the associations between patient clinical and workflow characteristics and DIDO.
Methods:
We conducted a province-wide multicentric retrospective cohort study in Québec, Canada, of adults with acute ischemic stroke who were transferred from a primary stroke center (PSC) to a comprehensive stroke center for EVT between 2017 and 2020. DIDO was calculated as the time spent in the PSC emergency department. Our co-primary outcomes, assessed 90 days after stroke, were a favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin score of 0-2) and death. We estimated associations between DIDO and co-primary outcomes and between patient characteristics and DIDO using logistic mixed models.
Results:
Among 790 included patients, the mean age was 69 (+/-14) years, and 400 (51%) were female. The median DIDO was 102 (80-135) minutes. DIDO was not associated with 90-day favorable functional outcome (aOR: 1.00, 95% CI [0.99-1.00], p = 0.54) or death (aOR: 1.00, 95% CI [0.99-1.01], p = 0.69). Arrival at the PSC outside daytime hours (aOR: 3.28, 95% CI [1.26-8.51], p = 0.01) was significantly associated with DIDO ≥ 60 minutes.
Conclusions:
Although DIDO are long in Québec, they are not associated with 90-day functional outcomes or mortality among patients transferred for EVT. Further research is required to develop strategies to improve modifiable determinants of DIDO, including workflow outside of daytime hours.
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