Objective: The Hunter-8 prehospital stroke scale predicts large vessel occlusion in hyperacute ischemic stroke patients (LVO) at hospital admission. We wished to test its performance in the hands of paramedics as part of a prehospital triage algorithm. We aimed to determine (a) the proportion of patients identified by the Hunter-8 algorithm, receiving reperfusion therapies, (b) whether a call to stroke team improved this, and (c) performance for LVO detection using an expanded LVO definition.
Methods: A prehospital workflow combining pre-morbid functional status, time from symptom onset, and the Hunter-8 scale was implemented from July 2019. A telephone call to the stroke team was prompted for potential treatment candidates. Classic LVO was defined as a proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA-M1), terminal internal carotid artery, or tandem occlusion. Extended LVO added proximal MCA-M2 and basilar occlusions.
Results: From July 2019 to April 2021, there were 363 Hunter-8 activations, 320 analyzed: 181 (56.6%) had confirmed ischemic strokes, 13 (4.1%) transient ischemic attack, 91 (28.5%) stroke mimics, and 35 (10.9%) intracranial hemorrhage. Fifty-two patients (16.3%) received reperfusion therapies, 35 with Hunter-8 ≥ 8. The stroke doctor changed the final destination for 76 patients (23.7%), and five received reperfusion therapies. The AUCs for classic and extended LVO were 0.73 (95% CI 0.66-0.79) and 0.72 (95% CI 0.65-0.77), respectively.
Conclusion: The Hunter-8 workflow resulted in 28.7% of confirmed ischemic stroke patients receiving reperfusion therapies, with no secondary transfers to the comprehensive stroke center. The role of communication with stroke team needs to be further explored.