Rapid Assay Diagnostic for Acute stroke Recognition (RADAR)
Suspected acute stroke
This research project is a prospective observational cohort study to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of a new fingerprick blood test for the identification of LVO stroke. The fingerprick test measures blood levels of d-dimer and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).
1. Aged 18 years or over 2. Arrived at the study hospital by emergency ambulance 3. New acute stroke suspected by ambulance personnel before hospital arrival 4. FAST clinical symptom score is ≥1 (as determined by hospital staff) 5. Stroke symptoms are known to have begun within the last 6 hours OR the patient was last known to be well between 6 and 24 hours ago (times determined by hospital specialist staff) 6. Blood sampling can be undertaken prior to any reperfusion treatments 7. Routine brain imaging is intended to be urgently performed
1. Already assessed at another hospital and ambulance admission is a transfer for continuing care 2. Assigned a recent previous (within the last 4 weeks) diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, arterial embolism, stroke, TIA, long bone fracture, major trauma, any surgery under general anaesthesia (these diagnoses may have resulted in elevated d-dimer) 3. Suffered a recent previous (within the last 4 weeks) head injury which lead to hospital attendance (this event may have resulted in elevated GFAP) 4. Stroke symptoms are known to have begun greater than 6 hours ago