Stroke Diagnosis and Treatment in the Emergency Department

Validation of the Italian version of the ROSIER scale for stroke patients at triage

BACKGROUND

The ROSIER scale allows rapid evaluation of patients with suspected stroke; this paper presents the validation of an Italian version of the ROSIER scale.

METHODS

Observational study in the emergency department of a major teaching hospital. Patients aged 18 or more, admitted to the emergency department, during a period of two years were enrolled. Construct validity was investigated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), content validity through the content validity index (CVI-I). Internal consistency, interrater reliability and test-retest stability were assessed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated.

RESULTS

539 subjects were enrolled. The Italian ROSIER scale (ROSIER-ita) showed a sensitivity of 97.6%, a specificity of 90.1%, a positive predictive value of 97.5% and a negative predictive value of 82.7%. EFA pointed out 1 factor; the ROSIER-ita explained 59.79% of total variance. Content validity was satisfying (CVI-I = 0.97). No significant differences (p = 0.90) were found in the scores of the first 50 recorded at the time of admission and after 10 min. Interrater reliability was excellent (rho = 0.96, p = 0.0066). Cronbach's alpha was 0.74, indicating acceptable correlation between the items.

CONCLUSION

The Italian version of the ROSIER scale showed satisfactory results, comparable to the original English version, and can be applied by emergency nurses.

Update on Neurocritical Care of Stroke

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review will highlight the recent advancements in acute ischemic stroke diagnosis and treatment, with special attention to new features and recommendations of stroke care in the neurocritical care unit.

RECENT FINDINGS

New studies suggest that pre-hospital treatment of stroke with mobile stroke units and telestroke technology may lead to earlier stroke therapy with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and recent studies show tPA can be given in previously contraindicated situations. More rapid automated CT perfusion and angiography may demonstrate a vascular penumbra for neuroendovascular intervention. Further, the greatest advance in acute stroke treatment since 2014 is the demonstration that neuroendovascular catheter-based thrombectomy with stent retrievers recanalizing intracranial large vessel occlusion (LVO) improves both recanalization and long-term outcomes in several trials. Hemorrhagic transformation and severe large infarct cerebral edema remain serious post-stroke challenges, with new guidelines describing who and when patients should get medical or surgical intervention. The adage "time is brain" directs the most evidence-based approach for rapid stroke diagnosis for tPA eligible and LVO recanalization using an orchestrated team approach. The neurocritical care unit is the appropriate location to optimize stroke outcomes for the most severely affected stroke patients.