BACKGROUND: Some patients seen by a stroke team do not have cerebrovascular disease but a condition that mimics stroke. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate and predictors of stroke mimics in a large sample. METHODS: This is an analysis of data from consecutive patients seen by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Program over 10 years. Data were collected prospectively as a quality improvement initiative. Patients with a cerebrovascular event or a stroke mimic were compared with the Student t or Pearson chi-square test as appropriate, and logistic regression was done to identify independent predictors. RESULTS: The analysis included 8187 patients: 30% had a stroke mimic. Patients with a stroke mimic were younger, and the proportion of patients with a stroke mimic was higher among women, patients without any risk factors, those seen as a code stroke or who arrived to the emergency department via personal vehicle, and those who had the onset of symptoms while inpatients. The proportion of patients with a stroke mimic was marginally higher among African-Americans than Caucasians. Factors associated with the greatest odds of having a stroke mimic in the logistic regression were lack of a history of hypertension, atrial fibrillation or hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: One third of the patients seen by a stroke team over 10 years had a stroke mimic. Factors associated with a stroke mimic may be ascertained by an emergency physician before calling the stroke team.
BACKGROUND: Some patients seen by a stroke team do not have cerebrovascular disease but a condition that mimics stroke. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate and predictors of stroke mimics in a large sample. METHODS: This is an analysis of data from consecutive patients seen by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Program over 10 years. Data were collected prospectively as a quality improvement initiative. Patients with a cerebrovascular event or a stroke mimic were compared with the Student t or Pearson chi-square test as appropriate, and logistic regression was done to identify independent predictors. RESULTS: The analysis included 8187 patients: 30% had a stroke mimic. Patients with a stroke mimic were younger, and the proportion of patients with a stroke mimic was higher among women, patients without any risk factors, those seen as a code stroke or who arrived to the emergency department via personal vehicle, and those who had the onset of symptoms while inpatients. The proportion of patients with a stroke mimic was marginally higher among African-Americans than Caucasians. Factors associated with the greatest odds of having a stroke mimic in the logistic regression were lack of a history of hypertension, atrial fibrillation or hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: One third of the patients seen by a stroke team over 10 years had a stroke mimic. Factors associated with a stroke mimic may be ascertained by an emergency physician before calling the stroke team.
Authors: Patrick C A J Vroomen; Marieke K Buddingh; Gert Jan Luijckx; Jacques De Keyser Journal: J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis Date: 2008 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 2.136
Authors: Antonio Granato; Laura D'Acunto; Miloš Ajčević; Giovanni Furlanis; Maja Ukmar; Roberta Antea Pozzi Mucelli; Paolo Manganotti Journal: Neurol Sci Date: 2020-05-26 Impact factor: 3.307
Authors: E Prodi; L Danieli; C Manno; A Pagnamenta; E Pravatà; L Roccatagliata; C Städler; C W Cereda; A Cianfoni Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2021-12-30 Impact factor: 3.825
Authors: Matthew E Ehrlich; Bin Han; Michael Lutz; Mohsen Ghiasi Ghorveh; Yasmin Ali Okeefe; Shreyansh Shah; Brad J Kolls; Carmelo Graffagnino Journal: Neurohospitalist Date: 2021-04-20
Authors: Amy Y X Yu; Michael D Hill; Negar Asdaghi; Jean-Martin Boulanger; Marie-Christine Camden; Bruce C V Campbell; Andrew M Demchuk; Thalia S Field; Mayank Goyal; Martin Krause; Jennifer Mandzia; Bijoy K Menon; Robert Mikulik; Francois Moreau; Andrew M Penn; Richard H Swartz; Shelagh B Coutts Journal: Neurology Date: 2020-11-12 Impact factor: 9.910
Authors: L Lucas; F Gariel; P Menegon; J Aupy; B Thomas; T Tourdias; I Sibon; P Renou Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2021-01 Impact factor: 3.825