Authors
Christopher I Price, Lisa Shaw, Saiful Islam, Mehdi Javanbakht, Alan Watkins, Peter McMeekin, Helen Snooks, Darren Flynn, Richard Francis, Rachel Lakey, Lou Sutcliffe, Graham McClelland, Joanne Lally, Catherine Exley, Helen Rodgers, Ian Russell, Luke Vale, Gary A Ford
Publication date
2020/7/1
Journal
JAMA neurology
Volume
77
Issue
7
Pages
840-848
Publisher
American Medical Association
Description
Importance
Rapid thrombolysis treatment for acute ischemic stroke reduces disability among patients who are carefully selected, but service delivery is challenging.
Objective
To determine whether an enhanced Paramedic Acute Stroke Treatment Assessment (PASTA) intervention increased hospital thrombolysis rates.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This multicenter, cluster randomized clinical trial took place between December 2015 and July 2018 in 3 ambulance services and 15 hospitals. Clusters were paramedics based within ambulance stations prerandomized to PASTA or standard care. Patients attended by study paramedics were enrolled after admission if a hospital specialist confirmed a stroke and paramedic assessment started within 4 hours of onset. Allocation to PASTA or standard care reflected the attending paramedic’s randomization status.
Interventions
The PASTA intervention included additional …
Scholar articles
CI Price, L Shaw, S Islam, M Javanbakht, A Watkins… - JAMA neurology, 2020