Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment

• Published in: Journal of Nihon University Medical Association Vol. 81; no. 6; pp. 341 - 346
• Main Authors: Yoshida, Reona, Kumagawa, Takahiro, Yamamuro, Shun, Tatsuoka, Juri, Kamiya, Koki, Negishi, Hiroshi, Shijo, Katsunori, Yoshino, Atsuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: NIHON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 01.12.2022
• Subjects: acute ischemic stroke; COVID-19; Door to image time
• ISSN: 0029-0424; 1884-0779
• DOI: 10.4264/numa.81.6_341

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has had a major impact on stroke treatment. The acuteischemic stroke (AIS) treatment protocol at our hospital now requires a rapid antigen test on arrival to prevent thespread of COVID-19 infection, so the initiation of treatment may be delayed. We compared AIS treatment before(October 2018 to March 2020) and after the epidemic started (April 2020 to September 2021) to investigate theeffect of COVID-19. The number of AIS emergency transports was 73 before and 102 after the epidemic. Thetime from door to image time was significantly extended (p < 0.05). However, door-to-puncture time and puncture-to-recanalization time showed no significant changes. Possibly our revision of the protocol, such as omittingsome imaging examinations, including magnetic resonance imaging, enabled more rapid interventions.