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Background: In drip-and-ship protocols, non-invasive vascular imaging (NIVI) at Referral Centers (RC), although recommended, is not consistently performed and its value is uncertain. We evaluated the role of NIVI at RC, comparing patients with (VI+) and without (VI-) vascular imaging in several outcomes. Methods: Observational, multicenter study from a prospective government-mandated population-based registry of code stroke patients. We selected acute ischemic stroke patients, initially assessed at RC from January-2016 to June-2020. We compared and analyzed the rates of patients transferred to a Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) for Endovascular Treatment (EVT), rates of EVT and workflow times between VI+ and VI-patients. Results: From 5128 ischemic code stroke patients admitted at RC; 3067 (59.8%) were VI+, 1822 (35.5%) were secondarily transferred to a CSC and 600 (11.7%) received EVT. Among all patients with severe stroke (NIHSS >16) at RC, a multivariate analysis showed that lower age, thrombolytic treatment, and VI+ (OR:1.479, CI95%: 1.117-1.960, p=0.006) were independent factors associated to EVT. The rate of secondary transfer to a CSC was lower in VI+ group (24.6% vs. 51.6%, p

Background: In drip-and-ship protocols, vascular imaging at Primary Stroke Centers (PSC), although recommended, is not usually performed in many PSC, and its value is uncertain. Our aim was to evaluate the role of performing vascular imaging at PSC, comparing patients with vascular imaging at PSC (VI+) Vs. those without vascular imaging (VI-) in several outcomes. Methods: Observational, multicenter study from a prospective, government-mandated, population-based registry of ischemic stroke code patients firstly evaluated at a PSC from January-2016 to June-2020. We determined and compared rates of Mechanical Thrombectomy (MT) candidates transferred to CSC from all ischemic stroke codes at PSC, MT treated at CSC patients from all MT candidates transferred, and metrics related to drip-and-ship paradigm between VI + and VI- groups. A multivariate analysis to determine PSC related factors associated with receiving EVT at CSC was performed. Results: From 5792 ischemic stroke code patients at PSC, 3384 (58.4%) received a vascular imaging at PSC (VI+). Among all, 32.6% were transferred to CSC as MT candidates, and finally, 10.6% were treated with MT at CSC. The rate of transferred MT candidates was lower in the VI+ than VI- group (n: 783, 23.1% Vs. n: 1109, 46 %, p< 0.001). Among the transferred MT candidates, MT treatment at CSC was more common in the VI+ than VI- (n: 377, 48.1% Vs: n: 239, 21.5%, p Conclusion: In the present study, performing vascular imaging at PSC diminishes unnecessary transfers to CSC and is associated with a higher probability of receiving MT at CSC in transferred patients. In mild strokes, performing a vascular imaging at PSC increases the probability of receiving MT at CSC. Metrics related to drip-and-ship model were not affected by performing a vascular imaging at PSC.

Accident cerebrovascular; Serveis mèdics d'emergència; Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV Accidente cerebrovascular; Servicios médicos de emergencia; Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV Stroke; Emergency medical services; Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; 2019-nCoV Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant healthcare reorganizations, potentially striking standard medical care. We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on acute stroke care quality and clinical outcomes to detect healthcare system's bottlenecks from a territorial point of view. Methods: Crossed-data analysis between a prospective nation-based mandatory registry of acute stroke, Emergency Medical System (EMS) records, and daily incidence of COVID-19 in Catalonia (Spain). We included all stroke code activations during the pandemic (March 15-May 2, 2020) and an immediate prepandemic period (January 26-March 14, 2020). Primary outcomes were stroke code activations and reperfusion therapies in both periods. Secondary outcomes included clinical characteristics, workflow metrics, differences across types of stroke centers, correlation analysis between weekly EMS alerts, COVID-19 cases, and workflow metrics, and impact on mortality and clinical outcome at 90 days. Results: Stroke code activations decreased by 22% and reperfusion therapies dropped by 29% during the pandemic period, with no differences in age, stroke severity, or large vessel occlusion. Calls to EMS were handled 42 min later, and time from onset to hospital arrival increased by 53 min, with significant correlations between weekly COVID-19 cases and more EMS calls (rho = 0.81), less stroke code activations (rho = -0.37), and longer prehospital delays (rho = 0.25). Telestroke centers were afflicted with higher reductions in stroke code activations, reperfusion treatments, referrals to endovascular centers, and increased delays to thrombolytics. The independent odds of death increased (OR 1.6 [1.05-2.4], p 0.03) and good functional outcome decreased (mRS ≤2 at 90 days: OR 0.6 [0.4-0.9], p 0.015) during the pandemic period. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Catalonia's stroke system's weakest points were the delay to EMS alert and a decline of stroke code activations, reperfusion treatments, and interhospital transfers, mostly at local centers. Patients suffering an acute stroke during the pandemic period had higher odds of poor functional outcome and death. The complete stroke care system's analysis is crucial to allocate resources appropriately.