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Objective. We conducted a needs assessment for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in South Carolina using statewide administrative data to examine acute care utilization during a defined 12-month period. The data were collected to provide information for state and regional service providers, managed care companies, and policy makers to identify demographic gaps in care and inform policy and educational efforts to improve care. Methods. We obtained records on emergency department visits and hospitalizations through patient-based uniform billing data. We stratified analyses of acute care utilization and 30-day readmission rates by patient age, region, and expected payer. Results. Young adults, those with public insurance, and those who resided in a region with the largest number of patients had the highest rates of acute care utilization and 30-day readmissions. Patients who resided in a largely rural area without access to comprehensive care also had high rates of acute care utilization and readmissions. The pattern of readmissions data suggested that data on 7- or 14-day readmission rates, in addition to data on 30-day readmission rates, could be used as benchmarks of quality of care for adult patients with SCD. Conclusion. Administrative datasets can provide important information on demographic gaps in care for patients with SCD. The results highlight both national and regional issues in the provision of health-care services for patients with SCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient selection for acute ischemic stroke has been largely driven by time-based criteria, although emerging data suggest that image-based criteria may be useful. The purpose of this study was to directly compare outcomes of patients treated within a traditional time window with those treated beyond this benchmark when CT perfusion (CTP) imaging was used as the primary selection tool. Methods: A prospectively collected database of all patients with acute ischemic stroke who received intraarterial therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina was retrospectively analyzed, regardless of time from symptom onset. At presentation, CTP maps were qualitatively assessed. Selected patients underwent intraarterial therapy. Functional outcome according to the modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at about 90 days was documented. Results: 140 patients were included in the study. The median time from symptom onset to groin access was 7.0 h. Overall, 28 patients (20%) had bleeding complications, but only 10 (7.1%) were symptomatic. The average National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score for patients treated ≤7 h from symptom onset was 17.3 and 30.2% had a mRS score of 0–2 at 90 days. Patients treated >7 h from symptom onset had an average NIHSS score of 15.1 and 45.5% achieved a mRS score of 0–2 at 90 days ( p=0.104). Patients in the two groups had similar rates of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (8.5% and 5.8%, respectively; p=0.745). Conclusions: No difference was found in the rates of good functional outcome between patients treated ≤7 h and those treated >7 h from symptom onset. These data suggest that imaging-based patient selection is a safe and viable methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traditional treatment in acute ischemic stroke is based on time criteria when administering intravenous and intra-arterial therapies. However, recent evidence suggests that image-based criteria may be useful for selecting patients for intra-arterial interventions. The use of CT perfusion (CTP)-based criteria, regardless of time from symptom onset, in patient selection for intra-arterial treatment of ischemic stroke was assessed. Methods: Patients with ischemic stroke who presented to the emergency department at the Medical University of South Carolina with a National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥ 8, regardless of time from symptom onset, were assessed retrospectively. CTP maps were qualitatively assessed for the presence of penumbra and infarction. Selected patients underwent mechanical aspiration of their occlusion using the Penumbra system. Functional outcome was then recorded using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 90 days or the closest follow-up to 90 days. Results: 53 patients were included in the study. The median time from symptom onset to groin vascular access was 6.3 h. Eight patients (15%) had bleeding complications including subarachnoid hemorrhage, parenchymal hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage. After CTP-based selection, the patients were divided into two groups for analysis: ≤6 h and >6 h from symptom onset to endovascular procedure. No difference was found in functional outcome between the two groups (38.5% and 40.7% achieved 90-day mRS ≤2, respectively (p=1.0) and 57.7% and 51.9% achieved 90-day mRS ≤3, respectively (p=0.785)). There was no difference in the rate of intracranial hemorrhage between the two groups (11.5 vs 18.5, p=0.704). Conclusion: This study demonstrated similar rates of good functional outcome and intracranial hemorrhage in patients with ischemic stroke when endovascular treatment was performed based on CTP selection rather than time-guided selection. These findings suggest that endovascular reperfusion in ischemic stroke may be effective and safe, and may allow patient selection not solely based on time from symptom onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Goal: Stroke is a serious health condition that disproportionally affects African-Americans relative to non-Hispanic whites. In the absence of clearly defined reasons for racial disparities in stroke recovery and subsequent stroke outcomes, a critical first step in mitigating poor stroke outcomes is to explore potential barriers and facilitators of poststroke recovery in African-American adults with stroke. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore poststroke recovery across the care continuum from the perspective of African-American adults with stroke, caregivers of African-American adults with stroke, and health care professionals with expertise in stroke care., Materials and Methods: This qualitative descriptive study included in-depth key informant interviews with health care providers (n = 10) and focus groups with persons with stroke (n = 20 persons) and their family members or caregivers (n = 19 persons). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis according to the Social Ecological Model, using both inductive and deductive approaches., Findings: Persons with stroke and their caregivers identified social support, resources, and knowledge as the most salient factors associated with stroke recovery. Perceived barriers to recovery included: (1) physical and cognitive deficits, mood; (2) medication issues; (3) lack of support and resources; (4) stigma, culture, and faith. Health care providers identified knowledge/information, care coordination, and resources in the community as key to facilitating stroke recovery outcomes., Conclusions: Key findings from this study can be incorporated into interventions designed to improve poststroke recovery outcomes and potentially reduce the current racial-ethnic disparity gap., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Purpose: Mounting evidence points to a decline in stroke incidence. However, little is known about recent patterns of stroke hospitalization within the buckle of the stroke belt. This study aims to investigate the age- and race-specific secular trends in stroke hospitalization rates, inpatient stroke mortality rates, and related hospitalization charges during the past decade in South Carolina., Methods: Patients from 2001 to 2010 were identified from the State Inpatient Hospital Discharge Database with a primary discharge diagnosis of stroke (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes: 430-434, 436, 437.1). Age- and race-stroke-specific hospitalization rates, hospital charges, charges associated with racial disparity, and 30-day stroke mortality rates were compared between blacks and whites., Results: Of the 84,179 stroke hospitalizations, 31,137 (37.0%) were from patients aged<65 years and 29,846 (35.5%) were blacks. Stroke hospitalization rates decreased in the older population (aged≥65 years) for both blacks and whites (P<0.001) but increased among the younger group (aged<65 years; P=0.004); however, this increase was mainly driven by a 17.3% rise among blacks (P=0.001), with no difference seen among whites (P=0.84). Of hospital charges totaling $2.77 billion, $453.2 million (16.4%) are associated with racial disparity (79.6% from patients aged<65 years). Thirty-day stroke mortality rates decreased in all age-race-stroke-specific groups (P<0.001)., Conclusions: The stroke hospitalization rate increased in the young blacks only, which results in a severe and persistent racial disparity. It highlights the urgent need for a racial disparity reduction in the younger population to alleviate the healthcare burden., (© 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Background: The administration of thrombolysis to eligible patients is often limited to centers with expertise. This study was intended to report on the safety and efficacy (in increasing thrombolysis availability) of telemedicine in the acute assessment and treatment of stroke patients presenting to hospitals in distant locations from a designated stroke center., Methods: A web-based telestroke tool (remote evaluation of acute ischemic stroke at Medical University of South Carolina [REACH-MUSC]), was implemented to provide acute stroke care 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to 12 community hospitals in South Carolina., Results: Nine hundred sixty-five consults were performed. Among the 525 patients with a National Institutes of Health Stroke Score >3, 185 (35.7%) were treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) alone, 15 (2.9%) received combination of intravenous and intra-arterial thrombolysis/thrombectomy, and 11 (2.1%) were treated with intra-arterial therapy alone. Of those who received intravenous t-PA, 119 (64.3%) were transferred to the hub; the medians (interquartile range) for onset to treatment for the intravenous t-PA and the intravenous t-PA and intra-arterial groups were 152 (range 115-193) minutes and 147 (range 107-179) minutes, respectively. Three patients (1.6%) who received intravenous t-PA alone experienced symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. The most common reason for not receiving thrombolysis was patient presentation outside the time window for treatment., Conclusions: Telestroke can have a major impact in increasing thrombolysis rates in remote areas from specialized centers, and in particular in areas where t-PA is underutilized., (Copyright © 2013 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study examines the risk of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), vascular death, or all-cause death after hospitalized stroke in South Carolina., Methods: Patients with a primary diagnosis of stroke discharged from the year 2002 were identified from the state hospital discharge database. Kaplan-Meier estimates of recurrent stroke, MI, vascular death, all-cause death, and composite events were calculated at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 4 years. Prognostic factors were assessed with multivariate Cox proportional hazard models., Results: The search strategy identified 10,399 patients in 2002. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of cumulative risk at 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 4 years for recurrent stroke is 1.8%, 5.0%, 8.0%, 12.1%, 15.2%, and 18.1%; MI, 0.3%, 1.0%, 2.1%, 3.7%, 5.0%, and 6.2%; all-cause death, 14.6%, 20.6%, 24.5%, 30.9%, 36.2%, and 41.3%; vascular death, 11.4%, 14.8%, 17.1%, 20.7%, 23.8%, and 26.7%; and composite events of recurrent stroke, MI, or vascular death 13.6%, 19.5%, 24.7%, 31.6%, 36.8%, and 41.3%. The hazard ratio for composite events (recurrent stroke, MI, or death) increases with age (1.38, 1.35-1.41), is 1.12 (1.05-1.19) for African Americans compared to Caucasians, is 1.67 (1.57-1.77) for patients with a higher comorbidity index (> or = 2 vs <2), and is 1.34 (1.28-1.39) for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage or intracerebral hemorrhage compared with ischemic stroke., Conclusions: These findings suggest there is room for further improvement in secondary stroke prevention in South Carolina.

Background and Purpose: Racial disparities among US stroke patients have been well documented. However, the extent to which disparities in outcomes vary by age is unclear. This study's goals were to examine the degree of racial disparities in South Carolina between African Americans (AAs) and Caucasian Americans (CAs) in stroke admission rates, hospital charges, and outcomes and to determine whether racial differences varied by age., Methods: From the state hospital discharge database, admissions with a primary diagnosis of stroke discharged from 2002 to 2006 were identified. Age group-specific stroke admission rates, hospital charges, length of stay, intensive care unit utilization, medical complications, and discharge disposition (in-hospital death, discharged home, discharge to rehabilitation facility) were compared between AAs and CAs by multiple-linear or logistic-regression analysis., Results: There were 58 272 stroke admissions during the 5-year period. Stroke admission rates were persistently higher for AAs in all age groups except those > or =85 years old. Hospital charges totaled $1.51 billion; 24.0% ($362.5 million) of this total was attributable to racial disparities, 70.8% ($256.5 million) of which stemmed from the 36.6% of patients <65 years old. Most of the acute outcomes were poorer for AAs compared with CAs across age groups., Conclusions: Racial disparities in stroke admissions are more pronounced in younger age groups and result in significant economic consequences. Although AA stroke patients experienced generally worse acute outcomes than did CAs, these differences appear to be relatively consistent across age groups.