Purpose of review: Mobile stroke units (MSUs) for prehospital treatment and management of patients with acute stroke have been developed more than a decade ago and is currently spreading worldwide. This review discusses the history of MSU and current operations and research.
Recent findings: Multiple studies have shown that MSU can significantly reduce treatment time with a tenfold increase of patients treated within the first 60 min of symptom onset. Recent preliminary results from the Berlin Prehospital or Usual Delivery of Acute Stroke Care trial (B-PROUD) showed a positive shift in modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 3 months for patients treated in MSUs. Two German studies indicate that the MSU model is cost effective by reducing disability and improving adjusted quality-life years after stroke. The MSU model for prehospital management of acute stroke is spreading worldwide. More research is needed, however, to establish cost-effectiveness, efficacy and best setting for prehospital stroke management.
Keywords: Mobile stroke unit; Pre-hospital stroke treatment; Stroke.
© 2020. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.