Identifying Best Practices for Improving the Evaluation and Management of Stroke in Rural Lower-Resourced Settings: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Considerable variation exists in the delivery of acute stroke care and stroke outcomes across settings and population groups. This is attributable in part to variation in resources among emergency departments in the United States, most notably in rural regions. Structural constraints of the US health care system, including the geographic distribution of where patients live relative to the location of hospitals and certified stroke centers, will continue to mean that many patients with stroke initially present to community emergency departments that have fewer stroke-related resources.

Incidental Detection of Previously Unknown Strokes on Head CT Examinations: An Untapped Opportunity for Secondary Prevention.

Background: The incidental discovery of previously unknown strokes on neuroimaging is an opportunity to implement secondary prevention, reducing the risk of recurrent strokes by up to 80%.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of previously unknown strokes on emergency department (ED) head CT imaging and identify associated patient and imaging factors.

Methods: Retrospective study of adult patients receiving head CT (age ≥ 18 years) at three EDs between July and December 2023.

Impact of aging on the frequency, phenotype, and function of CD4+ T cells in the human female reproductive tract.

Since CD4+ T cells are essential for regulating adaptive immune responses and for long lasting mucosal protection, changes in CD4+ T cell numbers and function are likely to affect protective immunity. What remains unclear is whether CD4+ T cell composition and function in the female reproductive tract (FRT) changes as women age. Here we investigated the changes in the composition and function of CD4+ T cells in the endometrium (EM), endocervix (CX), and ectocervix (ECX) with aging.

Approach to Acute Dizziness/Vertigo in the Emergency Department: Selected Controversies Regarding Specialty Consultation.

Acute dizziness and vertigo are common emergency department presentations (≈4% of annual visits) and sometimes, a life-threatening diagnosis like stroke is missed. Recent literature reviews the challenges in evaluation of these symptoms and offers guidelines for diagnostic approaches. Strong evidence indicates that when well-trained providers perform a high-quality bedside neurovestibular examination, accurate diagnosis of peripheral vestibular disorders and stroke increases.