title: Arrival by ambulance is associated with acute stroke intervention in young adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Timely intervention in young stroke patients minimizes long term disability. We hypothesized that arrival to the emergency department by ambulance would be associated with increased rate of stroke intervention with intravenous t-PA or intra arterial procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Charts of 77 patients aged 15-49 years diagnosed with ischemic stroke were analyzed. Data was collected on demographics, arrival to emergency department by ambulance, whether initial hospital at presentation was a Primary Stroke Center, and intervention by intravenous t-PA or intra arterial procedures. Data was analyzed by Fisher's exact test, and significant variables were included in multivariable analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arrival by ambulance was significantly associated with acute stroke intervention in young adults (p=0.016). Gender and Primary Stroke Center certification did not make a difference in patients getting stroke intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young adults with stroke symptoms were more likely to receive acute stroke intervention if they arrived by ambulance. Larger multi-center studies should address whether Primary Stroke Centers are more likely to provide either IV thrombolysis or interventional therapies in young patients with acute ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Stroke Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Nandakumar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagaraja
authors.forename: Pratik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Coplin
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.forename: Kumar
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajamani
authors.forename: Seemant
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaturvedi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000552:Ambulances / Q000592:standards; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult