Table 2.
Reported compliance with evidence-based process indicators for acute stroke care
| Process of stroke care | Palnum 2008[10] | Rudd 2007[7] | Bhalla 2004[8] | Di Carlo 1999[9] | Fairhead 2006[20] | Heidrich 2007[21] | McNaughton 2003[19] | Saposnik 2009[22] | McKevitt 2005[11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT head scan performed | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Angiography* | Y | Y | Y | ||||||
| Thrombolysis therapy | ND | ||||||||
| Asprin/antiplatelet therapy commenced early | Y | Y | |||||||
| Swallow screen/assessment | O | Y | O | ||||||
| Care in a stroke unit | Y | Y | ND | ND | ND | ||||
| Carotid imaging | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||||
| Stroke risk factors discussed with patient/carer | Y | ||||||||
| Antithrombotic treatment by discharge | ND | ND | ND | ||||||
| Anticoagulant therapy for atrial fibrillation | Y | ND | |||||||
| Antihypertensive therapy at discharge | O | ||||||||
Table legend: * includes conventional arterial & venous angiography, computer tomography angiography & magnetic resonance angiography
Y = Compliance significantly favours younger patients
O = Compliance significantly favours older patients
ND = No significant age difference in compliance
Empty cells = Process indicator not examined in the reviewed literature