Dryad
Published March 19, 2022 | Version v1
Dataset Open

Supplement to: Global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke care and intravenous thrombolysis

Creators

  • 1. Emory University School of Medicine
  • 2. Boston University School of Medicine
  • 3. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
  • 4. National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center
  • 5. Xinqiao Hospital
  • 6. Alexandria University Hospital*
  • 7. Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • 8. University of Athens*
  • 9. Hospital de Santa Maria
  • 10. KU Leuven
  • 11. Masaryk University
  • 12. AZ Groeninge
  • 13. Cooper University Hospital
  • 14. University of Tartu
  • 15. Loyola University*
  • 16. Kaiser Permanente
  • 17. The University of Texas System
  • 18. Medical University of South Carolina
  • 19. University Of Thessaly
  • 20. Allegheny Health Network
  • 21. Doctors Hospital
  • 22. University of Otago
  • 23. Vanderbilt University
  • 24. University of Tennessee
  • 25. University of North Carolina
  • 26. New York University Langone Medical Center
  • 27. The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 28. University of Douala
  • 29. Ain Shams University Hospital
  • 30. Cairo University
  • 31. Nasser Institute for Research and Treatment*
  • 32. Mansoura University
  • 33. Ain Shams University
  • 34. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
  • 35. University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital
  • 36. Lagos State University Teaching Hospital
  • 37. Federal Medical Centre
  • 38. University of Ilorin
  • 39. University College Hospital, Ibadan
  • 40. Aga Khan University
  • 41. Tunis El Manar University
  • 42. National Institute of Neurology Mongi-Ben Hamida
  • 43. University of Zimbabwe
  • 44. Erebouni Medical Center
  • 45. Sir Salimulah College*

Description

Objective: 

The objectives of this study were to measure the global impact of the pandemic on the volumes for intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), IVT transfers, and stroke hospitalizations over 4 months at the height of the pandemic (March 1 to June 30, 2020) compared with two control 4-month periods. 

Methods:

We conducted a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study across 6 continents, 70 countries, and 457 stroke centers. Diagnoses were identified by their ICD-10 codes and/or classifications in stroke databases. 

Results:

There were 91,373 stroke admissions in the 4 months immediately before compared to 80,894 admissions during the pandemic months, representing an 11.5% (95%CI, -11.7 to - 11.3, p<0.0001) decline. There were 13,334 IVT therapies in the 4 months preceding compared to 11,570 procedures during the pandemic, representing a 13.2% (95%CI, -13.8 to -12.7, p<0.0001) drop. Interfacility IVT transfers decreased from 1,337 to 1,178, or an 11.9% decrease (95%CI, -13.7 to -10.3, p=0.001). Recovery of stroke hospitalization volume (9.5%, 95%CI 9.2-9.8, p<0.0001) was noted over the two later (May, June) versus the two earlier (March, April) pandemic months. There was a 1.48% stroke rate across 119,967 COVID-19 hospitalizations. SARS-CoV-2 infection was noted in 3.3% (1,722/52,026) of all stroke admissions.  

Conclusions: 

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a global decline in the volume of stroke hospitalizations, IVT, and interfacility IVT transfers. Primary stroke centers and centers with higher COVID19 inpatient volumes experienced steeper declines. Recovery of stroke hospitalization was noted in the later pandemic months.

Files

Files (28.8 MB)

Name Size Download all
md5:5a7fa360273b8bced6254470bb0c3d21
28.8 MB Download