Table 2.
Characteristics of comprehensive stroke care capabilities according to the geographical differences
| 2010 | 2018 | |||||||
| MEA central (n=186) | MEA outlying (n=79) | McEA (n=35) | P value | MEA central (n=186) | MEA outlying (n=79) | McEA (n=35) | P value | |
| Personnel | ||||||||
| Neurologists | 115 (61.8) | 44 (55.7) | 10 (28.6) | 0.001 | 133 (71.5) | 55 (69.6) | 14 (40.0) | 0.001 |
| Neurosurgeons | 181 (97.3) | 77 (97.5) | 34 (97.1) | 0.995 | 183 (98.4) | 78 (98.7) | 34 (97.1) | 0.826 |
| Endovascular physicians | 101 (54.3) | 31 (39.2) | 8 (22.9) | <0.001 | 136 (73.1) | 49 (62.0) | 14 (40.0) | <0.001 |
| Emergency medicine | 57 (30.7) | 25 (31.7) | 7 (20.0) | 0.406 | 122 (65.6) | 54 (68.4) | 16 (45.7) | 0.052 |
| Physical medicine and rehabilitation | 36 (19.4) | 16 (20.3) | 5 (14.3) | 0.740 | 83 (44.6) | 42 (53.2) | 3 (8.6) | <0.001 |
| Rehabilitation therapy | 185 (99.5) | 78 (98.7) | 35 (100) | 0.701 | 185 (99.5) | 78 (98.7) | 35 (100) | 0.701 |
| Stroke rehabilitation nurses | 33 (17.8) | 9 (11.4) | 1 (2.9) | 0.049 | 90 (48.4) | 41 (51.9) | 9 (25.7) | 0.027 |
| Diagnostic | ||||||||
| CT | 185 (99.5) | 79 (100.0) | 35 (100.0) | 0.735 | 185 (100) | 79 (100) | 35 (100) | 0.735 |
| MRI with diffusion | 167 (89.8) | 69 (87.3) | 33 (94.3) | 0.530 | 179 (96.2) | 78 (98.7) | 35 (100) | 0.299 |
| Digital cerebral angiography | 165 (88.7) | 70 (88.6) | 34 (97.1) | 0.303 | 168 (90.3) | 76 (96.2) | 33 (94.3) | 0.232 |
| CT angiography | 163 (87.6) | 72 (91.1) | 32 (91.4) | 0.627 | 176 (94.6) | 77 (97.5) | 34 (97.1) | 0.525 |
| Carotid duplex ultrasound | 71 (38.1) | 30 (38.0) | 14 (40.0) | 0.977 | 95 (51.1) | 48 (60.8) | 15 (42.9) | 0.164 |
| TCD | 43 (23.1) | 18 (22.8) | 3 (8.6) | 0.146 | 54 (29.0) | 29 (36.7) | 5 (14.3) | 0.052 |
| Specific expertise | ||||||||
| Carotid endarterectomy | 173 (93.0) | 68 (86.1) | 32 (91.4) | 0.196 | 166 (89.3) | 71 (89.9) | 28 (80) | 0.260 |
| Clipping of intracranial aneurysm | 183 (98.4) | 75 (94.9) | 34 (97.1) | 0.280 | 181 (97.3) | 77 (97.5) | 34 (97.1) | 0.995 |
| Haematoma removal/draining | 183 (98.4) | 76 (96.2) | 34 (97.1) | 0.546 | 182 (97,9) | 77 (97.5) | 35 (94.3) | 0.485 |
| Coiling of intracranial aneurysm | 119 (64.0) | 46 (58.2) | 13 (37.1) | 0.012 | 143 (76.9) | 49 (62.0) | 17 (48.6) | <0.001 |
| Intra-arterial reperfusion therapy | 142 (76.3) | 58 (73.4) | 27 (77.1) | 0.859 | 153 (82.3) | 57 (72.2) | 22 (62.9) | 0.019 |
| Infrastructure | ||||||||
| Stroke unit | 50 (26.9) | 17 (21.5) | 2 (5.7) | 0.023 | 106 (57.0) | 44 (55.7) | 13 (37.1) | 0.093 |
| Intensive care unit | 123 (66.1) | 54 (68.4) | 21 (60.0) | 0.685 | 134 (72.0) | 54 (68.4) | 18 (51.4) | 0.054 |
| Operating room staffed 24/7 | 143 (76.9) | 59 (74.7) | 15 (42.9) | <0.001 | 148 (79.6) | 56 (70.9) | 22 (62.9) | 0.062 |
| Interventional services coverage 24/7 | 103 (55.4) | 30 (38.0) | 6 (17.1) | <0.001 | 133 (71.5) | 54 (68.4) | 18 (51.4) | 0.064 |
| Stroke registry | 81 (43.6) | 31 (29.1) | 15 (42.9) | 0.808 | 93 (50.0) | 47 (59.5) | 15 (42.9) | 0.199 |
| Education | ||||||||
| Community education | 110 (59.1) | 53 (67.1) | 17 (48.6) | 0.164 | 55 (29.6) | 28 (35.4) | 8 (22.9) | 0.377 |
| Professional education | 125 (67.2) | 53 (67.1) | 17 (48.6) | 0.095 | 105 (56.5) | 47 (59.5) | 17 (48.6) | 0.555 |
McEA, Microplitan Employment Area; MEA, Metropolitan Employment Area; TCD, transcranial Doppler.