European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (EP THCS) JTC 2023: “MDRinAIS study: preliminary retrospective treatments and complication results

Background and Aims: The MDRinAIS study, part of the EU-funded Horizon Europe Framework program, seeks to develop a telemedicine-enabled pathway for managing acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO) requiring mechanical thrombectomy (MT). By bypassing traditional emergency department triage and implementing real-time telemedicine coordination, the project aims to reduce treatment delays and improve outcomes. The first phase evaluates the “drip and ship” treatments and complication rates in three European centers to establish the current standard of care.
Methods: This multicentric retrospective study includes 572 patients treated between January 2018 and December 2021 across three centers: Italy, Switzerland and Spain. Patients were categorized by treatment type (MT, fibrinolysis, or both), and complications were analyzed using Chi-square tests.
Results: Among 572 patients (22.38% Spain, 37.41% Italy, 40.21% Switzerland), significant differences were observed in in treatment distribution (p<0.001) and complications: vessel dissection (Italy: 0.9%, Spain: 13.68%, Switzerland: 5.13%, p<0.001), embolism in new territories (Spain: 8.42%, Switzerland: 4.08%, p<0.001), and other complications (Spain: 24.21%, Switzerland: 14.35%, Italy: 3.3%, p<0.001). Distalization rates showed no significant differences.
Conclusion: The study underscores the need for standardized protocols and telemedicine integration to reduce variability and improve outcomes in AIS management across European centers.