Table 1.
Cohort Demographics, Diagnosis, and Treatment Characteristics
| Variable | ED Database (Discharge Diagnosis of Stroke) (n = 1,507) | Paramedic Impression of Acute Neurological Deficit/Stroke (n = 3,849) | Patient Discharge Database (Hospital Discharge Diagnosis of Stroke) (n = 9,212) | Final Matched Sample: EMS-transported Patients Admitted to Hospital and Had a Discharge Diagnosis of Stroke (n = 3,787) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age categories, yr | ||||
| <50 | 164 (10.9) | 415 (10.8) | 621 (6.7) | 238 (6.3) |
| 50–59 | 207 (13.7) | 454 (11.8) | 844 (9.2) | 392 (10.4) |
| 60–69 | 225 (14.9) | 535(14) | 1,240 (13.5) | 493 (13) |
| 70–79 | 364 (24.2) | 951 (25) | 2,396 (26.0) | 937 (24.7) |
| ≥80 | 547 (36.3) | 1,420 (37) | 4,111 (44.6) | 1,727 (45.6) |
| Missing | — | 74 (2) | — | — |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 696 (46.2) | 1,763 (45.8) | 4,264 (46.3) | 1,694 (44.7) |
| Female | 811 (53.8) | 2,058 (53.5) | 4,948 (53.7) | 2,093 (55.3) |
| Missing | — | 28 (0.7) | — | |
| Race/ethnicity | ||||
| Non-Hispanic white | 837 (55.5) | 2,003 (52) | 5,587 (60.6) | 2,272 (60) |
| African American | 73 (4.8) | 155 (4) | 398 (4.3) | 140 (3.7) |
| Asian | 183 (12.1) | 392 (10) | 1,680 (18.2) | 712 (18.8) |
| Hispanic | 267 (17.7) | 342 (9) | 1,185 (12.9) | 507 (13.4) |
| Native American | — | 3 (0.1) | 7 (0.1) | 2 (0.1) |
| Missing | 147 (9.8) | 954 (25) | 355 (3.9) | 154 (4.1) |
| Source of admission | ||||
| Home | — | — | 7,839 (85.1) | 3,471 (91.7) |
| Residential care | — | — | 395 (4.3) | 133 (3.5) |
| Ambulatory surgery | — | — | 7 (0.1) | 3 (0.1) |
| Skilled nursing | — | — | 871 (9.5) | 145 (3.8) |
| Acute inpatient hospitalization | — | — | 21 (0.2) | 8 (0.2) |
| Other inpatient hospitalization | — | — | 10 (0.1) | 4 (0.1) |
| Prison | — | — | 17 (0.2) | 4 (0.1) |
| Other | — | — | 52 (0.6) | 19 (0.5) |
| Missing | 1,507 (100.0) | — | — | — |
| Payment category | ||||
| Medicare | — | — | 6,944 (75.4) | 2,737 (72.3) |
| MediCAL | — | — | 769 (8.3) | 277 (7.3) |
| Private | — | — | 1,171 (12.7) | 581 (15.3) |
| Indigent | — | — | 88 (1.0) | 49 (1.3) |
| Self -pay | — | — | 204 (2.2) | 126 (3.3) |
| Other/Unknown | — | — | 32 (0.3) | 16 (0.4) |
| Missing | 1,507 (100.0) | — | 4 (0.0) | — |
| Day of the week | ||||
| Weekday | 1,147 (76.1) | 2,774 (72.1) | 6,611 (71.8) | 2,742 (72.4) |
| Weekend | 360 (23.9) | 1,075 (27.9) | 2,601 (28.2) | 1,045 (27.6) |
| Prehospital provider impression of acute neurological deficit | ||||
| No | 1,254 (83.2) | — | 7,823 (84.9) | 2,564 (67.7) |
| Yes | 253 (16.8) | 3,849 (100) | 1,389 (15.1) | 1,223 (32.3) |
| Missing | — | — | — | |
| Hospital diagnosis of stroke | ||||
| Primary diagnosis | 758 (50.3) | — | 3,787 (41.1) | 3,787 (100.0) |
| Secondary diagnosis | 749 (49.7) | — | 5,425 (58.9) | — |
| IV t-PA use | ||||
| No | — | — | 9,004 (97.7) | 3,637 (96.0) |
| Yes | — | — | 208 (2.3) | 150 (4.0) |
| Missing | 1,507 (100.0) | — | — | — |
Data are reported as n (%)
— = 0 value for the field; t-PA = tissue plasminogen activator.