Is the time of calling helpful for differentiating transient ischaemic attack and stroke from mimics in primary care out-of-hours services? A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Telephone triage of patients suspected of transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or stroke is challenging. Both TIA and stroke more likely occur during daytime, with a peak in the morning hours. Thus, the time of calling might be a helpful determinant during telephone triage. We assessed the time of calling in patients with stroke-like symptoms who called the out-of-hours services in primary care (OHS-PC), and evaluated whether the time of calling differed between patients with TIA or stroke compared with those with mimics.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Six OHS-PC locations in the Netherlands.

Participants

1269 telephone triage recordings of patients calling the OHS-PC because of stroke-like symptoms. We collected information on patient characteris

SUBMITTER: Erkelens DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7747588 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature