Impact of a Specialized Neurointensive Care Team on Outcomes of Critically Ill Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Background and Purpose Dedicated stroke units are associated with improved patient outcomes after acute ischemic stroke in general. However, it is unknown whether the population of critically ill ischemic stroke patients admitted to the neurocritical care unit (NCCU) benefit from primary management by a specialized neurocritical care team (NCT). This study is intended to investigate such benefit. Methods A retrospective chart review in a large academic university hospital identified 400 patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the NCCU, from January 1997 to April 2000, aged 65 ± 14 years. We examined the short- and long-term outcomes of these patients before and after institution of a specialized NCT. We used logistic regression models to determine independent association between outcome and availability of NCT. Results The presence of a NCT was associated with a decreased length of NCCU stay (2.9 ± 2.0 vs. 3.7 ± 2.9 days, P