The early detection will be a lifesaver.
Doctors emphasize the critical importance of time when it comes to treating strokes, as neurons can start to perish within minutes of an attack. Quickly identifying the type of stroke a patient is experiencing is vital, and an experimental blood test may significantly expedite this process.
A team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston has developed a test capable of accurately determining whether a patient has suffered from a highly dangerous type of stroke known as large vessel occlusion (LVO). Once this determination is made, doctors can promptly employ a surgical procedure called mechanical thrombectomy to remove the LVO clot from any major artery supplying blood to the brain.
Dr. Joshua Bernstock, the senior author of the study and a clinical fellow in the hospital’s department of neurosurgery, highlights the transformative impact of mechanical thrombectomy, which has the potential to save lives and prevent debilitating disabilities if administered promptly.
The blood test focuses on two specific proteins: glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and D-dimer. These proteins can help differentiate between a bleeding stroke and an LVO, two conditions with overlapping symptoms.
By combining the results of the blood test with a field assessment stroke triage for emergency destination (FAST-ED) score, doctors can swiftly diagnose an LVO in a patient. The researchers tested this approach using data from 323 stroke patients treated in Florida between 2021 and 2022.
The combined diagnostic strategy demonstrated promising results, with a specificity of 93% and a sensitivity of 81% in detecting LVO strokes within six hours of symptom onset. Specificity refers to the tool’s accuracy in identifying non-LVO strokes, while sensitivity denotes its ability to correctly identify LVO strokes.
Dr. Bernstock believes that this new diagnostic tool could revolutionize stroke care, particularly in underserved regions where advanced imaging techniques may not be readily available. The team plans to further evaluate the test’s effectiveness in ambulance settings, aiming to ensure that patients receive the appropriate care as quickly as possible.
The study, published in the journal Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology, underscores the potential of this blood test to save lives and improve outcomes for stroke patients worldwide.
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