title: Stroke: prospective evaluation of a prehospital management process based on rescuers under medical direction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Improving access to thrombolytic therapy for patients with ischemic stroke is challenging. We assessed a prehospital process based on firemen rescuers under strict medical direction, aimed at facilitating thrombolysis of eligible patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective observational study conducted over 4 months in Paris, France. Prehospital patients with suspected stroke were included after telephone consultation with a physician. If the time since the onset of symptoms was less than 6 hours, patients were transported directly to a neurovascular unit (NVU); if symptom onset was more than 6 hours ago, they were transported to an emergency department (ED). Confirmation of stroke diagnosis, the rate of thrombolysis, and the time intervals between the call and hospital arrival and imaging were assessed. Comparison used Fisher exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 271 patients transported to an NVU, 218 were diagnosed with a stroke (166 with ischemic stroke), 69 received thrombolytic therapy, and the mean stroke-thrombolysis interval was 150 minutes. Of 64 patients admitted to the ED, 36 patients had a stroke (ischemic, 24). None were thrombolysed. Globally, 36% of ischemic strokes were thrombolysed (27% of all strokes diagnosed). The mean interval call-hospital was 65 minutes (ED vs NVU, P = .61). The interval call-imaging was 202 minutes (interquartile range, 105.5-254.5) for ED and 92 minutes (interquartile range, 77-116) for NVU (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prehospital management of stroke by rescuers, under strict medical direction, seemed to be feasible and effective for selection of patients with stroke in an urban environment and may improve the access to thrombolysis.
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alhanati
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubourdieu
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Clément
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Béguec
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Travers
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lefort
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Maurin
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jost
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domanski
authors.affiliation: Fire Brigade of Paris, Emergency Medical Service, 1 Place Jules Renard, 75017 Paris, France. Electronic address: medecinchef.bmu@pompiersparis.fr.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tourtier
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010297:Paris; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D016896:Treatment Outcome