Clinical features of stroke mimics in the emergency department

• Published in: Acute medicine & surgery Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 241 - 248
• Main Authors: Okano, Yuichi, Ishimatsu, Kazuaki, Kato, Yoichi, Yamaga, Junichi, Kuwahara, Ken, Okumoto, Katsuki, Wada, Kuniyasu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.07.2018; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Cardiac arrhythmia; Diabetes; Multivariate analysis; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; Original; Stroke; tissue‐type plasminogen activator; Japan; tissue‐type plasminogen activator; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; stroke
• ISSN: 2052-8817; 2052-8817
• DOI: 10.1002/ams2.338

Aim To clarify the features of stroke mimics. Methods We retrospectively investigated stroke mimic cases among the suspected stroke cases examined at our emergency department, over the past 9 years, during the tissue‐type plasminogen activator treatment time window. Results Of 1,557 suspected acute stroke cases examined at the emergency department, 137 (8.8%) were stroke mimics. The most common causes were symptomatic epilepsy (28 cases, 20.4%), neuropathy‐like symptoms (21 cases, 15.3%), and hypoglycemia (15 cases, 10.9%). Outcomes were survival to hospital discharge for 91.2% and death for 8.8% of the cases. Clinical results were significantly different between stroke mimics and the stroke group for low systolic blood pressure, low National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on initial treatment, history of diabetes, and no history of arrhythmia. On multivariate analysis, distinguishing factors for stroke mimics include systolic blood pressure ≤ 140 mmHg, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤ 5 points, history of diabetes, and no history of arrhythmia. Conclusions Frequency of stroke mimics in cases of acute stroke suspected cases is 8.8%, and the most common cause is epilepsy. In order to distinguish stroke mimics, it is useful to understand common diseases presenting as stroke mimics and evaluate clinical features different from stroke by medical interview or nerve examination. We investigated to clarify the features of stroke mimics. Frequency of stroke mimics in cases of acute stroke suspected cases is 8.8%, and the most common cause is epilepsy. The features of stroke mimics are: (i) systolic blood pressure ≤140 mmHg; (ii) National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≤5 points; (iii) history of diabetes mellitus; (iv) no history of arrhythmia. These four items could be useful for distinguishing between stroke mimics and stroke.