Objective: An Australian stroke services study (SCOPES) has developed a framework to compare different forms of acute stroke services, the gold standard being localised stroke units. We aimed to use this framework to assess changes in the quality of stroke care over time as a sequential audit process.
Design And Setting: A retrospective medical record audit comparing 100 sequential stroke admissions (July 2002 to June 2003) two years after institution of a mobile stroke service (MSS) with 100 historical controls (September 1998 to October 1999) at a 260-bed hospital in Melbourne. The MSS results were also compared with stroke units in SCOPES.
Main Outcome Measures: Adherence to quality indicators and standard measures of outcome (complications, length of stay and discharge disability) after implementing the MSS.
Results: Significant improvements were seen in prophylaxis for deep-vein thrombosis, incontinence management, premorbid function documentation, frequent neurological observations and early occupational therapy. The MSS demonstrated fewer severe complications (9% versus 24%; P = 0.004), reduced median length of stay (discharged patients: 12.0 days versus 18.5 days; P = 0.003) and more patients were independent at discharge (32% versus 9%; P < 0.001). Comparison with SCOPES stroke units showed our MSS could improve in incontinence management and appropriate use of antiplatelet therapy.
Conclusion: Institution of the MSS was associated with improvements in the quality of stroke care. This study demonstrates application of an audit procedure for quality improvement in hospital stroke management and the potential to improve stroke services in smaller centres.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb06645.x | DOI Listing |
Neuroradiol J
January 2025
Canon Stroke and Vascular Research Center, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
This study evaluates the efficacy of deep learning models in identifying infarct tissue on computed tomography perfusion (CTP) scans from patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion, specifically addressing the potential influence of varying noise reduction techniques implemented by different vendors. We analyzed CTP scans from 60 patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy achieving a modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (mTICI) score of 2c or 3, ensuring minimal changes in the infarct core between the initial CTP and follow-up MR imaging. Noise reduction techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA), wavelet, non-local means (NLM), and a no denoising approach, were employed to create hemodynamic parameter maps.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Diabetes
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China.
Objective: Provide an evidence-based basis for the selection of cardiovascular benefit drugs in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods: Conduct a comprehensive search of all relevant literature from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Clinical Trials.gov from their establishment until December 13, 2023, and select randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that meet the pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Nat Rev Dis Primers
January 2025
European Reference Network for Rare Multisystemic Vascular Disease (VASCERN), HHT Rare Disease Working Group, Paris, France.
Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a vascular dysplasia inherited as an autosomal dominant trait and caused by loss-of-function pathogenic variants in genes encoding proteins of the BMP signalling pathway. Up to 90% of disease-causal variants are observed in ENG and ACVRL1, with SMAD4 and GDF2 less frequently responsible for HHT. In adults, the most frequent HHT manifestations relate to iron deficiency and anaemia owing to recurrent epistaxis (nosebleeds) or bleeding from gastrointestinal telangiectases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMJ
January 2025
Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City VA Informatics, Decision-Enhancement and Analytic Sciences, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of multiple decision aid strategies in promoting high quality shared decision making for prevention of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
Design: Cluster randomized controlled trial.
Setting: Six academic medical centers in the United States.
Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi
January 2025
Atrial fibrillation (AF) has emerged as a major global cardiovascular disease in the 21st century. In China, there are greater than 12 million patients with AF, and its incidence continues to rise. AF affects patients' quality of life and significantly increases the risks of mortality, stroke, heart failure, cognitive impairment, and dementia.
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