The efficiency of telestroke programs in improving the rates of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) in stroke patients has been reported. Previous studies have reported favorable treatment outcomes with the use of telestroke programs to improve the use of rtPA, but functional outcomes are not fully understood. This study investigated the effect of telestroke technology in the administration of rtPA and related functional outcomes associated with baseline clinical variables. Retrospective data of a telestroke registry were analyzed. Univariate analysis was used to compare demographic and clinical variables in the rtPA group and the no rtPA group and between the improved functional ambulation group and the no improvement group. A stepwise binary logistic regression identified factors associated with improved functional outcome in the total telestroke population and in the subset of the telestroke population who received rtPA. In adjusted analysis and elimination of any multicollinearity for patients who received rtPA in the telestroke setting, obesity (odds ratio [OR] = 2.138, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.164-3.928, P < .05), higher systolic blood pressure at the time of presentation (OR = 1.015, 95% CI, 1.003-1.027, P < .05), and baseline high-density lipoprotein at the time of admission (OR = 1.032, 95% CI, 1.005-1.059, P < .05) were associated with improved functional outcomes. Increasing age (OR = 0.940, 95% CI, 0.916-0.965, P < .0001) and higher calculated National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (OR = 0.903, 95% CI, 0.869-0.937) were associated with a poorer outcome in rtPA-treated patients. Telestroke technology improves functional outcomes at spoke stations where neurological expertise is unavailable. Further studies are necessary to determine how telestroke technology can be optimized, especially to improve contraindications and increase eligibility for thrombolysis therapy.
Background. The purpose of this study was to develop models to predict the recovery of ambulatory functions taking into account the capability of the motor system to functionally reorganize in response to thrombolysis therapy. Methods. We predicted ambulatory functions recovery using retrospective data from a stroke registry of acute ischemic stroke patients who received thrombolysis therapy. Multivariate regression was used to construct the models. Multicollinearity and significant interactions were examined using variance inflation factors, while a Cox & Snell classification were applied to check the fitness of each model. Results. The models correctly predicted clinical variables that were associated with an improvement or non-improvement in functional ambulatory outcome. Broca’s aphasia (OR = 2.270, P = 0.002, CI =1.34-3.83) was associated with improved functional outcome at discharge, while patients aged 80 years or older (OR = 0.942, P = <0.001, CI =0.92-0.96), patients with congestive heart failure (OR = 0.496, P = 0.040, CI = 0.25-0.97), higher NIHSS (OR=0.876, P = 0.001, CI = 0.80-0.95), taking antihypertensive medication (OR = 0.436, P = 0.023, CI = 0.21-0.89) were not associated with improved ambulatory functional outcome with thrombolysis. The discriminating ability for the model was 74.2% for the total population, 71.7% for the rtPA group, and 72.2% for the no-rtPA group indicating strong performance. Conclusion. Prognostic models that can predict improved functional ambulatory outcome in thrombolysis therapy can be beneficial in the care of stroke patients. Our models predicted improved functional recovery of Broca’s aphasia after thrombolysis therapy, suggesting a future potential to evaluate motor speech area after stroke.
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