Table 4.
Baseline characteristics of the patients evaluated in the rapid outpatient TIA service during the two study periods.
| 23rd March to 30th June 2020 (n = 136) | 23rd March to 30th June 2019 (n = 180) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||
| Age, y (median, IQR) | 65; 23–96 | 68.5; 20–28 | 0.087 |
| Male, sex, n (%) | 99 (72.79%) | 121 (67.22%) | 0.227 |
| Clinical characteristics | |||
| Hypertension, n (%) | 71 (52.21%) | 95 (52.78%) | 0.442 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 27 (19.85%) | 37 (20.56%) | 0.645 |
| Hypercholesterolemia, n (%) | 65 (47.79%) | 76 (42.22%) | 0.638 |
| Coronary artery disease, n (%) | 19 (13.97%) | 21 (11.67%) | 0.695 |
| Previous TIA/stroke, n (%) | 23 (16.91%) | 39 (21.67%) | 0.186 |
| Carotid stenosis, n (%) | 3 (2.21%) | 9 (5.0%) | 0.164 |
| AF, n (%) | 15 (11.03%) | 25 (13.89%) | 0.334 |
| Dementia, n (%) | 6 (4.41%) | 18 (10%) | 0.027 |
| ABCD2 score, (median, IQR) | 3; 0–6 | 3; 0–6 | 0.929 |
| Symptom onset-to-first medical review time (days), (median, IQR) | 3; 0–90 | 0; 0–133 | 0.002 |
| First healthcare provider contacts used by TIA patients | |||
| GP, n (%) | 41 (30.14%) | 75 (41.67%) | |
| ED, n (%) | 93 (68.38%) | 97 (53.89%) | |
| Other*, n (%) | 2 (1.48%) | 6 (3.33%) | |
| 0.020 | |||
| Final diagnosis | |||
| TIA, n (%) | 75 (55.15%) | 83 (46.11%) | |
| Ischemic stroke, n (%) | 13 (9.56%) | 9 (5.0%) | |
| TIA mimic, n (%) | 48 (35.29%) | 88 (48.89%) | |
| 0.020 | |||
IQR, interquartile range; TIA, transient ischemic attack; AF, atrial fibrillation; GP, general practitioner; ED: emergency department;
*
this includes referrals from other specialties consultant.