Abstract P249: Rates of Adverse Events and Outcomes Among Ischemic Stroke Patients Admitted to Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Centers

Background: To identify the beneficial effects of thrombectomy capable hospitals (TCHs), we compared the rates of in-hospital adverse events and discharge outcomes among ischemic stroke patients admitted to thrombectomy capable and non-thrombectomy capable hospitals in the United States. Methods: We obtained the data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2012 and 2017. Thrombectomy capable hospitals were identified based on number of thrombectomy procedures performed by hospital per year among ischemic stroke patients. If an hospital performed ten or more thrombectomy procedures, it was labelled as thrombecotomy capable hospital. The analysis was limited to patients (age ≥18 years) discharged with a principal diagnosis of ischemic stroke (International Classification of Disease 433.x1-434.x1 (ICD-9) or I63 (ICD-10). The impact of TCHs admissions on in-hospital outcomes was assessed in a comparative analysis of propensity-matched groups of patients. Results: We identified a total of 2,826,335 patients with primary ischemic stroke patients. After adjusting for age, gender, race or ethnicity, comorbidities, All Patients Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG)-based disease severity, and hospital teaching status, patients admitted to TCHs were at lower risk of in-hospital adverse events complications: pneumonia (odds ratio [OR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80-0.93), urinary tract infection (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.84-0.91)and sepsis (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.84-1.00). Patients admitted to TCH were more likely to receive thrombolysis (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.30-1.36). The mean cost of hospitalization of the patients was significantly higher in patients admitted at TCHs compared with those admitted at non-thrombectomy capable $74765 vs $60530, P < .0001). The patients admitted to TCHs had lower inpatient mortality (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.78-.88) and were more likely to be discharged with none to minimal disability (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.06-1.12). Conclusions: Compared with non-thrombectomy capable admissions, patients admitted to TCHs are less likely to experience hospital adverse events and more likely to experience better discharge outcomes.