Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on "Stroke Code" Imaging Utilization and Yield.
Age Distribution
Aged
COVID-19
/ diagnosis
Diagnostic Imaging
Female
Humans
Inpatients
/ statistics & numerical data
Intracranial Hemorrhages
/ diagnosis
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Admission
/ statistics & numerical data
Retrospective Studies
SARS-CoV-2
/ isolation & purification
Severity of Illness Index
Stroke
/ diagnosis
Time-to-Treatment
/ statistics & numerical data
Journal
AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology
ISSN: 1936-959X
Titre abrégé: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8003708
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
06 2021
06 2021
Historique:
received:
02
11
2020
accepted:
18
12
2020
pubmed:
6
2
2021
medline:
27
7
2021
entrez:
5
2
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Indirect consequences of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic include those related to failure of patients to seek or receive timely medical attention for seemingly unrelated disease. We report our experience with stroke code imaging during the early pandemic months of 2020. Retrospective review of stroke codes during the 2020 pandemic and both 2020 and matched 2019 prepandemic months was performed. Patient variables were age, sex, hospital location, and severity of symptoms based on the NIHSS. We reviewed the results of CT of the head, CTA, CTP, and MR imaging examinations and classified a case as imaging-positive if any of the imaging studies yielded a result that related to the clinical indication for the study. Both year-to-year and sequential comparisons were performed between pandemic and prepandemic months. A statistically significant decrease was observed in monthly stroke code volumes accompanied by a statistically significant increased proportion of positive imaging findings during the pandemic compared with the same months in the prior year ( During our pandemic period, there was a significantly decreased number of stroke codes but simultaneous increases in positivity rates, symptom severity, and inpatient codes. We postulate that this finding reflects the documented reluctance of patients to seek medical care during the pandemic, with the shift toward a greater proportion of inpatient stroke codes potentially reflecting the neurologic complications of the virus itself.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Indirect consequences of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic include those related to failure of patients to seek or receive timely medical attention for seemingly unrelated disease. We report our experience with stroke code imaging during the early pandemic months of 2020.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Retrospective review of stroke codes during the 2020 pandemic and both 2020 and matched 2019 prepandemic months was performed. Patient variables were age, sex, hospital location, and severity of symptoms based on the NIHSS. We reviewed the results of CT of the head, CTA, CTP, and MR imaging examinations and classified a case as imaging-positive if any of the imaging studies yielded a result that related to the clinical indication for the study. Both year-to-year and sequential comparisons were performed between pandemic and prepandemic months.
RESULTS
A statistically significant decrease was observed in monthly stroke code volumes accompanied by a statistically significant increased proportion of positive imaging findings during the pandemic compared with the same months in the prior year (
CONCLUSIONS
During our pandemic period, there was a significantly decreased number of stroke codes but simultaneous increases in positivity rates, symptom severity, and inpatient codes. We postulate that this finding reflects the documented reluctance of patients to seek medical care during the pandemic, with the shift toward a greater proportion of inpatient stroke codes potentially reflecting the neurologic complications of the virus itself.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33541898
pii: ajnr.A7038
doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A7038
pmc: PMC8191682
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1017-1022Informations de copyright
© 2021 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.
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