Log In

Forgot Password?
Create New Account

Loading... please wait

Abstract Details

Sex Differences in the Delivery of Stroke Care via Telemedicine in a Large National Telestroke Practice
Cerebrovascular Disease and Interventional Neurology
S6 - Cerebrovascular Disease: Diagnosis, Prediction, and Population Health (3:54 PM-4:06 PM)
003

Sex differences are encountered in many aspects of ischemic stroke, including risk factors, presentation, mechanism, acute intervention and functional outcomes.  To date, the existence of such differences between sexes has not been clearly described in the telestroke patient population.

This study sought to investigate sex differences in telestroke care within a large telestroke patient population.

A retrospective observational study of the experience of a single teleneurology practice serving 340 hospitals from April 2018 to June 2021 was performed.  Patients with a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of ischemic stroke were included.  Data from the stroke encounter was abstracted from the medical record.

Within the queried period, there were 76,905 male and 90,243 female patients identified as having received a telestroke evaluation.  No difference was seen in age, but females had a higher initial NIHSS score (P=0.03).  There were no differences in percentage of consults deemed emergent between males and females.  Females were received thrombolysis at lower rates than males (4.86 vs 5.99%, P<0.01).  Females refused thrombolysis at higher rates than males (3.44 vs 2.78%, P<0.01), while males were more likely to present outside the therapeutic window (46.72% vs 45.43%, P<0.01).  Males and females did not receive thrombolysis due to symptom resolution/improvement at similar rates.  Males were more likely to be on therapeutic anticoagulation precluding thrombolysis, (P<0.01), while females were more likely to have a nondisabling deficit (P<0.01).  There were no differences between TLSW-to-arrival times, arrival-to-call times, and video start-to-thrombolysis decision times between the sexes.  There were no differences in consult length times or door-to-needle times between the sexes.

 

This review of a national telestroke patient population is indicative of sex differences in multiple aspects of acute ischemic stroke, most notably in thrombolysis rates and reasons thrombolysis not given.  Further investigation is warranted into the disparities between the sexes in telestroke care.

Authors/Disclosures
Johanna L. Morton, MD, MS (Ascension Health)
PRESENTER
Dr. Morton has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of SOC Telemed. Dr. Morton has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of The Joint Commission.
No disclosure on file
No disclosure on file
Robert J. Hallock, MD (Access TeleCare) Dr. Hallock has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of SOC Telemed.