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Objectives The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence and The Royal College of Physicians recommend transferring thrombolysed patients with stroke to a hyperacute stroke unit (HASU) within 4 h from hospital arrival (T Arrival-HASU ), but there is paucity of evidence to support this cut-off. We assessed if a shorter interval within this target threshold conferred a significant improvement in patient mortality. Design We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme. Setting Four major UK hyperacute stroke centres between 2014 and 2016. Participants A total of 183 men (median age = 75 years, IQR = 66–83) and 169 women (median age = 81 years, IQR = 72.5–88) admitted with acute ischaemic stroke. Main outcome measures We evaluated T Arrival-HASU in relation to inpatient mortality, adjusted for age, sex, co-morbidities, stroke severity, time between procedures, time and day on arrival. Results There were 51 (14.5%) inpatient deaths. On ROC analysis, the AUC (area under the curve) was 61.1% (52.9–69.4%, p = 0.01) and the cut-off of T Arrival-HASU where sensitivity equalled specificity was 2 h/15 min (intermediate range = 30 min to 3 h/15 min) for predicting mortality. On logistic regression, compared with the fastest T Arrival-HASU group within 2 h/15 min, the slowest T Arrival-HASU group beyond upper limit of intermediate range (≥ 3 h/15 min) had an increased risk of mortality: 5.6% vs. 19.6%, adjusted OR = 5.6 (95%CI:1.5–20.6, p = 0.010). Conclusions We propose three new alarm time zones (A1, A2 and A3) to improve stroke survival: “A1 Zone” (T Arrival-HASU < 2 h/15 min) indicates that a desirable target, “A2 Zone” (T Arrival-HASU = 2 h/15 min to 3 h/15 min), indicates increasing risk and should not delay any further, and “A3 Zone” (T Arrival-HASU ≥ 3 h/15 min) indicates high risk and should be avoided.

A useful estimate of outcome and LOS can be made by constructing a predictive equation from information on hospital admission, to provide evidence-based guidance for resource requirements and discharge planning.

Background the 4AT (Alertness, Abbreviated Mental Test-4, Attention and Acute change or fluctuating course), a tool to screen cognitive impairment and delirium, has recently been recommended by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. We examined its ability to predict health outcomes among patients admitted with hip fractures to a single hospital between January 2018 and June 2019. Methods the 4AT was performed within 1 day after hip surgery. A 4AT score of 0 means unlikely delirium or severe cognitive impairment (reference group); a score of 1–3 suggests possible chronic cognitive impairment, without excluding possibility of delirium; a score ≥ 4 suggests delirium with or without chronic cognitive impairment. Logistic regression, adjusted for: age; sex; nutritional status; co-morbidities; polypharmacy; and anticholinergic burden, used the 4AT to predict mobility, length of stay (LOS), mortality and discharge destination, compared with the reference group. Results from 537 (392 women, 145 men: mean = 83.7 ± standard deviation [SD] = 8.8 years) consecutive patients, 522 completed the 4AT; 132 (25%) had prolonged LOS (&gt;2 weeks) and 36 (6.8%) died in hospital. Risk of failure to mobilise within 1 day of surgery was increased with a 4AT score ≥ 4 (OR = 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3–4.3). Prolonged LOS was increased with 4AT scores of 1–3 (OR = 2.4, 95%CI = 1.4–4.1) or ≥4 (OR = 3.1, 95%CI = 1.9–6.7). In-patient mortality was increased with a 4AT score ≥ 4 (OR = 3.1, 95%CI = 1.2–8.2) but not with a 4AT score of 1–3. Change of residence on discharge was increased with a 4AT score ≥ 4 (OR = 3.1, 95%CI = 1.4–6.8). These associations persisted after excluding patients with dementia. 4AT score = 1–3 and ≥ 4 associated with increased LOS by 3 and 6 days, respectively. Conclusions for older adults with hip fracture, the 4AT independently predicts immobility, prolonged LOS, death in hospital and change in residence on discharge.

IntroductionBecause of their high risk of stroke, anticoagulation therapy is recommended for most patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The present study evaluated the use of anticoagulants in the community and in a hospital setting for patients with AF and its associations with stroke.MethodsPatients admitted with stroke to four major hospitals in County of Surrey, England were surveyed in the 2014–2016 Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme. Descriptive statistics was used to summarise subject characteristics and χ² test to assess differences between categorical variables.ResultsA total of 3309 patients, 1656 men (mean age: 73.1 years±SD 13.2) and 1653 women (79.3 years±13.0) were admitted with stroke (83.3% with ischaemic, 15.7% haemorrhagic stroke and 1% unspecified). AF occurred more frequently (χ2=62.4; p<0.001) among patients admitted with recurrent (30.2%) rather than with first stroke (17.1%). There were 666 (20.1%) patients admitted with a history of AF, among whom 304 (45.3%) were anticoagulated, 279 (41.9%) were untreated and 85 (12.8%) deemed unsuitable for anticoagulation. Of the 453 patients with history of AF admitted with a first ischaemic stroke, 138 (37.2%) were on anticoagulation and 41 (49.6%) were not (χ2 = 6.3; p<0.043) and thrombolysis was given more frequently for those without prior anticoagulation treatment (16.1%) or unsuitable for anticoagulation (23.6%) compared with those already on anticoagulation treatment (8.3%; χ2=10.0; p=0.007). Of 2643 patients without a previous history of AF, 171 (6.5%) were identified with AF during hospitalisation. Of patients with AF who presented with ischaemic stroke who were not anticoagulated or deemed unsuitable for anticoagulation prior to admission, 91.8% and 75.0%, respectively, were anticoagulated on discharge.ConclusionsThe study highlights an existing burden for patients with stroke and reflects inadequate treatment of AF which results in an increased stroke burden. There is significant scope to improve the rates of anticoagulation.