Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41475812›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Optimising regional organisation of endovascular thrombectomy for ischaemic stroke reusing a simulation model.

Willemijn J Maas, Durk-Jouke van der Zee, Maarten M H Lahr, Bob Roozenbeek, Diederik W J Dippel, Henk Kerkhoff, Thomas Monks, Erik Buskens, Maarten Uyttenboogaart, CONTRAST investigators and the MR CLEAN registry investigators

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Willemijn J MaasDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands w.j.maas@umcg.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0792-7090
Durk-Jouke van der ZeeDepartment of Operations, Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9754-1193
Maarten M H LahrHealth Technology Assessment, Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7265-2612
Bob RoozenbeekDepartment of Neurology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Diederik W J DippelDepartment of Neurology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9234-3515
Henk KerkhoffDepartment of Neurology, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, Netherlands.
Thomas MonksUniversity of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2631-4481
Erik BuskensHealth Technology Assessment, Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6463-1106
Maarten UyttenboogaartDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
CONTRAST investigators and the MR CLEAN registry investigators

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study assessed whether a previously developed Monte Carlo simulation model can be reused for evaluating various strategies to minimise time-to-treatment in southwest Netherlands for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients who had an ischaemic stroke.

designReuse of a previously developed simulation model to simulate various strategies in another region, using prospectively collected data from stroke centres and retrospective data from emergency medical services.

participantsData from 509 patients who had an ischaemic stroke (≥18 years) treated with EVT (2014-2018) were used.

interventionsInput for the simulation model reuse included distributions of observed time delays along the acute stroke pathway. Validation of the baseline models was based on face validity and statistical measures (patient data vs model output) using the Assessment of the Validation Status of Health Economic decision models tool. We simulated strategies for a subregion: interhospital patient transfer by helicopter, transport of the neurointerventionalist to the primary stroke centre ('drive-the-doctor'), interhospital patient transfer to a thrombectomy-capable stroke centre (TSC) outside the region and prehospital triage using the Rapid Arterial Occlusion Evaluation (RACE) scale. PRIMARY OUTCOME: Onset-to-groin time was the outcome.

resultsReuse of the original simulation model was obtained by minimal effort, implying limited adaptation. Compared with the baseline model, interhospital patient transfer by helicopter or to a TSC outside the region and prehospital routing using the RACE scale reduced mean onset-to-groin time by 16, 13 and 39 min, respectively (95% CrI for all: equal to the point estimate). 'Drive the doctor' reduced mean onset-to-groin time by 27 (car), 49 (ambulance) or 58 min (helicopter), each with a 95% CrI equal to the point estimate.

conclusionsThe original simulation model can be applied to different regions in the Netherlands. Strategies tested within the subregion resulted in promising results of 'drive the doctor' and prehospital patient routing using the RACE scale.

Indexed as

Endovascular ProceduresIschemic StrokeThrombectomyTime-to-TreatmentAgedComputer SimulationEmergency Medical ServicesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMonte Carlo MethodNetherlandsPatient TransferRetrospective StudiesOrganisation and AdministrationOrganisation of health servicesStroke

Identifiers

PMID41475812
PMCPMC12766838

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.