Pre-Hospital Diagnosis in Mobile Stroke Unit

Abstract

Objectives: Mobile stroke unit (MSU) has been shown to rapidly provide pre-hospital thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). MSU encounters neurological disorders other than AIS that require emergent treatment.

Methods/materials: We obtained pre-hospital diagnosis and treatment data from the prospectively collected dataset on 221 consecutive MSU encounters. Based on initial clinical evaluation and neuroimaging obtained on MSU, the diagnosis of AIS (definite, probable, and possible AIS, transient ischemic attack), intracranial hemorrhage, and likely stroke mimics was made.

Results: From July 2014 to April 2015, 221 patients were treated on MSU. 78 (35%) patients had initial clinical diagnosis of definite/probable AIS or TIA, 69 (31%) were diagnosed as possible AIS or TIA, 15 (7%) had intracranial hemorrhage while 59 patients (27%) were diagnosed as likely stroke mimics. Stroke mimics encountered included 13 (6%) metabolic encephalopathy, 11 (5%) seizures, 9 (4%) migraines, 3 (1%) substance abuse, 2 (1%) CNS tumor, 3 (1%) infectious etiology and 3 (1%) hypoglycemia. Fifty-four (24%) patients received non-thrombolytic treatments on MSU CONCLUSION: About one third of MSU encounters were not AIS initially, including intracranial hemorrhage and stroke mimics. MSU can be utilized to provide pre-hospital treatments in emergent neurological conditions other than AIS.

Keywords: Mobile stroke unit; Pre-hospital mobile stroke unit diagnosis; Stroke; Thrombolysis.