# Association Between Sociodemographic Disparities and Door to Computerized Tomography Time in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Across COVID-19 Periods in the Emergency Department: A Multi-Center Cohort Study

## TL;DR

The study found that race, ethnicity, and the timing of care during the pandemic affected how quickly stroke patients received CT scans in emergency departments.

## Contribution

This study identifies sociodemographic and temporal disparities in door-to-computed tomography times for acute ischemic stroke patients during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Key findings

- Black and Asian patients were more likely to have delayed CT scans compared to White patients.
- Hispanic patients had longer CT scan times compared to non-Hispanic patients.
- CT scan times worsened during and after the pandemic compared to before.

## Abstract

Introduction: Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and long-term disability in the United States. The current guideline for stroke management includes a 25 min timeframe from door-to-computed tomography time (DTCT). However, sociodemographic backgrounds may impact the DTCT in acute stroke patients. Methods: This was a retrospective, multicenter, cohort study between January 2018 and August 2022 throughout North Texas. The primary endpoint was DTCT ≤ 25 min upon arrival to hospital for all patients suspected of acute ischemic stroke. Results: During the study period, a total of 23,364 patients were included. Only 4468 patients (19.1%) had DTCT times less than or equal to 25 min, and 16,464 patients (70.5%) had DTCT times more than 25 min. In our cohort, Black (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.23–1.49) and Asian patients (OR 1.33; 95% CI 1.01–1.74) were more likely to have DTCT > 25 min compared to White patients. Hispanic patients (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.07–1.34) were more likely to have DTCT > 25 min compared to non-Hispanics. Patients presenting during the COVID (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.34–1.57) and post-COVID period (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.30–1.65) were more likely to have DTCT > 25 min compared to the pre-COVID period. Conclusions: We demonstrated a discrepancy in DTCT time for acute ischemic stroke patients based on their race and ethnic population and an increase in DTCT time after the start of COVID-19, which has persisted after the pandemic. These diverse factors highlight the complex interplay of logistical, organizational, and healthcare challenges that have influenced DTCT time.