Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42063408›Full record

ArticleStroke2026

Diagnostic Delays in Pediatric Acute Ischemic Stroke: 24-Year Trends and Contributing Factors in Switzerland.

Daniel Brechbühl, Regula Everts, Barbara Goeggel-Simonetti, Esmeralda Nava, Catherine Wohlgemuth, Florian Bauder, Gabriela Oesch, Joel Fluss, Madeleine Bachmann, Nicole Faignart and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Stroke, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Daniel BrechbühlDivision of Neuropaediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland (D.B., R.E., G.O., R.M., M.S.).ORCID 0000-0001-5476-4397
Regula EvertsDivision of Neuropaediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland (D.B., R.E., G.O., R.M., M.S.).ORCID 0000-0001-6556-3419
Barbara Goeggel-SimonettiDepartment of Neuropediatrics, Institute of Pediatrics of Southern Switzerland, San Giovanni Hospital, Bellinzona, Switzerland (B.G.-S.).ORCID 0000-0001-6687-8199
Esmeralda NavaDepartment of Pediatric Neurology, Cantonal Hospital Aarau, Switzerland (E.N.).
Catherine WohlgemuthDepartment of Pediatric Neurology/Epileptology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (C.W.).ORCID 0009-0009-8722-7323
Florian BauderSocial Paediatrics Center, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, Switzerland (F.B.).ORCID 0000-0003-1629-0914
Gabriela OeschDivision of Neuropaediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland (D.B., R.E., G.O., R.M., M.S.).
Joel FlussPediatric Neurology Unit, Geneva Children's Hospital, Switzerland (J.F.).ORCID 0000-0002-6413-162X
Madeleine BachmannDepartment of Child Neurology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, St. Gallen (M.B.).
Nicole FaignartDepartment of Pediatrics, Hôpital du Valais, Sion, Switzerland (N.F.).ORCID 0000-0003-0039-3396
Susi StrozziDepartment of Pediatrics, Kantonsspital Graubünden, Chur, Switzerland (S.S.).ORCID 0009-0005-3302-3166
Robin MuengerDivision of Neuropaediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland (D.B., R.E., G.O., R.M., M.S.).ORCID 0000-0003-1424-4682
Stephane DarteyrePediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland (S.D.).
Maja SteinlinDivision of Neuropaediatrics, Development and Rehabilitation, Department of Paediatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland (D.B., R.E., G.O., R.M., M.S.).ORCID 0000-0002-5194-3143

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGrowing evidence for reperfusion therapies in pediatric acute ischemic stroke (AIS) increases the importance of timely diagnosis within treatment windows. We therefore aimed to describe 24-year trends and associated factors of diagnostic delay.

methodsWe conducted a nationwide retrospective cross-sectional study including 314 children aged 28 days to 16 years from the Swiss Neuropediatric Stroke Registry (2000-2023). The primary outcome was time from stroke onset to diagnosis (TOD). Trends for diagnoses beyond intravenous thrombolysis (≥4.5 hours) and thrombectomy (≥24 hours) windows were assessed with multivariable logistic regression, and for continuous TOD with robust linear regression. Prespecified covariates were retained in multivariable models if associated with the outcome in univariable analyses. Analyses were stratified by AIS onset location (out-of-hospital and in-hospital).

resultsMedian TOD was 26.9 hours (interquartile range, 10.1-91.5) between 2000 and 2023. During this period, the proportion diagnosed beyond the thrombolysis window decreased significantly in the overall cohort from 90.9% to 77.5% (adjusted odds ratio per calendar year 0.94 [95% CI, 0.88-1.00]) and in out-of-hospital AIS from 88.1% to 74.1% (adjusted odds ratio, 0.91 [0.84-1.00]). No significant change was observed beyond the thrombectomy window diagnoses. Continuous TOD decreased significantly only in in-hospital AIS (β=-4.3 [-7.2 to -1.5]). Older age (β=-1.8 [-2.9 to -0.8]), higher pediatric National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (β=-1.2 [-2.1 to -0.4]), and facial palsy (β=-19.4 [-30.2 to -8.5]) were associated with shorter TOD, and nonspecific symptoms (β=110.0 [72.5-147.5]) with longer TOD. Out-of-hospital TOD was shorter when patients presented to a stroke center compared with other presentation sites. Posterior-stroke symptoms were associated with diagnoses beyond the thrombolysis window.

conclusionsDespite decreasing proportions of beyond-thrombolysis window diagnoses in out-of-hospital AIS and decreasing TOD in in-hospital AIS, most diagnoses occur beyond reperfusion windows. Goals to decrease delay include raising awareness of posterior-stroke signs and AIS in younger children, and strengthening direct-to-stroke center pathways.

Indexed as

Brain IschemiaDelayed DiagnosisIschemic StrokeAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleRegistriesRetrospective StudiesSwitzerlandThrombectomychilddelayed diagnosisischemic strokereperfusionthrombectomythrombolytic therapy

Identifiers

PMID42063408
PMCPMC13281979

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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.