Multivariate logistic regression examining factors associated with hospital prealerting in acute stroke
| Multivariate analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Predictor | OR | 95% CIs | p Value |
| Patient characteristics | |||
| Age | 1.00 | 0.97 to 1.03 | 0.99 |
| Sex (male) | 0.49 | 0.21 to 1.13 | 0.10 |
| White ethnicity (reference category) | 1.00 | – | – |
| Black or Black British ethnicity | 3.10 | 0.30 to 31.62 | 0.34 |
| Asian or Asian British ethnicity | 0.79 | 0.24 to 2.65 | 0.71 |
| Mixed ethnicity | 1.17 | 0.11 to 12.41 | 0.90 |
| Other ethnicity | 1.68 | 0.27 to 10.66 | 0.58 |
| Ethnicity not stated | 2.01 | 0.09 to 43.04 | 0.66 |
| Eligibility for prealert* | |||
| Paramedic arrives within 5 h (yes) | 2.99 | 1.37 to 6.50 | 0.006 |
| No FAST symptoms present (reference category) | 1.00 | – | – |
| 1 FAST symptom present | 6.14 | 2.06 to 18.30 | 0.001 |
| 2 FAST symptoms present | 31.36 | 9.91 to 99.24 | <0.001 |
| 3 FAST symptoms present | 75.84 | 24.68 to 233.03 | <0.001 |
| GCS >13 | 0.04 | 0.01 to 0.14 | <0.001 |
| Evidence of fit (yes) | 0.23 | 0.01 to 6.40 | 0.39 |
| Service factors | |||
| Highest grade of EMS staff in attendance (paramedic) | 1.35 | 0.81 to 2.25 | 0.25 |
| Hospital site (1 of 2) | 2.22 | 1.00 to 4.90 | 0.05 |
| Hospital arrival within working hours (09:00–17:00) (yes) | 0.73 | 0.34 to 1.57 | 0.43 |
| Stroke final diagnosis (stroke) | 2.09 | 0.56 to 7.78 | 0.27 |
One patient was excluded from this analysis due to missing data relating to age.
Being FAST positive was a significant predictor of prealert using the likelihood ratio test (p<0.001), but ethnicity was not (p=0.91).
*Blood glucose and evidence of seizure variables were removed from the model due to colinearity.
EMS, emergency medical services; FAST, Face, Arm, Speech Test.