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Abstract
Background and Objectives Early consciousness disorder (ECD) after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is understudied. ECD may influence outcomes and the decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment.
Methods We studied patients with AIS from 2010 to 2019 across 122 hospitals participating in the Florida Stroke Registry. We studied the effect of ECD on in-hospital mortality, withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (WLST), ambulation status on discharge, hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition.
Results Of 238,989 patients with AIS, 32,861 (14%) had ECD at stroke presentation. Overall, average age was 72 years (Q1 61, Q3 82), 49% were women, 63% were White, 18% were Black, and 14% were Hispanic. Compared to patients without ECD, patients with ECD were older (77 vs 72 years), were more often female (54% vs 48%), had more comorbidities, had greater stroke severity as assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (score ≥5 49% vs 27%), had higher WLST rates (21% vs 6%), and had greater in-hospital mortality (9% vs 3%). Using adjusted models accounting for basic characteristics, patients with ECD had greater in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 2.23, 95% CI 1.98–2.51), had longer hospitalization (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.33–1.44), were less likely to be discharged home or to rehabilitation (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.52–0.57), and were less likely to ambulate independently (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.57–0.64). WLST significantly mediated the effect of ECD on mortality (mediation effect 265; 95% CI 217–314). In temporal trend analysis, we found a significant decrease in early WLST (<2 days) (R2 0.7, p = 0.002) and an increase in late WLST (≥2 days) (R2 0.7, p = 0.004).
Discussion In this large prospective multicenter stroke registry, patients with AIS presenting with ECD had greater mortality and worse discharge outcomes. Mortality was largely influenced by the WLST decision.
Glossary
- AHA=
- American Heart Association;
- AIS=
- acute ischemic stroke;
- ASA=
- American Stroke Association;
- ECD=
- early consciousness disorder;
- FL-PR CReSD=
- Florida–Puerto Rico Collaboration to Reduce Stroke Disparities;
- GEE=
- generalized estimating equation;
- GWTG-S=
- Get with the Guidelines–Stroke;
- NIHSS=
- National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale;
- WLST=
- withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
- Received June 6, 2021.
- Accepted in final form January 3, 2022.
- © 2022 American Academy of Neurology
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