Background And Purpose: Centralizing hyperacute stroke unit (HASU) care services allows improved access to thrombolysis but could be associated with worse patient experience, particularly when early repatriation to a local stroke recovery unit occurs as this may result in discontinuity of care. A centralized model of care was introduced in London, United Kingdom, with 8 HASUs providing acute care for the whole 8.3 million population, with repatriation on day 3 to a local stroke recovery unit. The patient and carer experience of this model of care has not been previously reported.
Methods: We undertook a prospective observational study of the new model of care in the South West London sector. Patient and carer experiences were evaluated using a modified Picker Questionnaire. Separate questionnaires were used for patients discharged directly home from the HASU, those repatriated to local stroke recovery units, and for carers of patients admitted to the HASU.
Results: Despite moving from a selected to nonselected admission pattern, thrombolysis rates increased from 6% to 9%. High satisfaction rates were reported among both patients and carers. Patients discharged directly home had higher satisfaction levels than those requiring repatriation to their local stroke unit, who were older and had more severe stroke. A total of 47% of carers expressed anxiety over the repatriation from the HASU back to the local stroke recovery unit, but few patients and carers reported an impact of this move on patient recovery.
Conclusion: Centralized HASU care is associated with good levels of patient and carer satisfaction.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.113.001675 | DOI Listing |
J Ultrasound
January 2025
Clinical Unit of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University Hospital and Health Services of Trieste, ASUGI, University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume, 447, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
Introduction: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and dementia affect short- and long-term outcome after stroke and can persist even after recover from a physical handicap. The process underlying PSCI is not yet fully understood. Transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) is a feasible method to investigate cerebrovascular aging or dementia, through the pulsatility index (PI), the cerebrovascular reactivity (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeart Lung Circ
January 2025
Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China. Electronic address:
Aim: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. However, the specific association between Treg immune traits and atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular diseases remains unclear, impeding their potential for clinical therapeutic application.
Method: Fifty-eight Treg-related immune traits were obtained from the latest summary level genome-wide association study, which included 3,757 individuals from Sardinia.
Lancet Neurol
February 2025
Department of Neurosciences, and Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address:
Autosomal dominant mutations in the gene encoding the DNA and RNA binding protein FUS are a cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and about 0·3-0·9% of patients with ALS are FUS mutation carriers. FUS-mutation-associated ALS (FUS-ALS) is characterised by early onset and rapid progression, compared with other forms of ALS. However, different pathogenic mutations in FUS can result in markedly different age at symptom onset and rate of disease progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLancet Neurol
February 2025
Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada; Department of Cognitive Neurology, St Joseph's Health Care London, London, ON, Canada. Electronic address:
Background: No treatments exist for apathy in people with frontotemporal dementia. Previously, in a randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-finding study, intranasal oxytocin administration in people with frontotemporal dementia improved apathy ratings on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory over 1 week and, in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, a single dose of 72 IU oxytocin increased blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal in limbic brain regions. We aimed to determine whether longer treatment with oxytocin improves apathy in people with frontotemporal dementia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Med
January 2025
Department of Radiology, Kastamonu University, Kastamonu 37150, Turkey.
Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide, with early and accurate diagnosis being critical for timely intervention and improved patient outcomes. This retrospective study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of two advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models, Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT-4o) and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, in identifying AIS from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!