Implementation of HCIS shortened door-to-PCI time for patients with STEMI by 39.2 +/- 10 minutes. Thus, HCIS may be effective in improving patient outcomes.

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Background: Acute infections and other inflammatory stimuli have emerged as important triggers of vascular events. Previous studies have reported 25 to 35% antecedent infection rates among patients with acute cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). The mechanisms involved in acute infection include immunological mediated activation of platelets and endothelial dysfunction. The incidence of antecedent UTI has not been reported and could establish an important relationship between UTI and CVA. Objective: The aim of the current study was to determine and compare the incidence of antecedent UTI among CVA patients to reported UTI rates among the general population. Methods: This was a retrospective review of 1295 medical records for CVA from the emergency department in a high volume tertiary care center. Our cohort included CVA patients that also had urinalysis within 72 hours prior to or less than 24 hours after admission. Patients with bacteriuria without any of the additional findings were excluded. The incidence of UTI was compared to the infection rate calculated for a hypothetical equal size comparison group based on previously reported literature (i.e., historical controls). Results: Thirty-seven percent (476/1295) of the patients met inclusion criteria of simultaneous CVA and urinalysis. The overall crude incidence of UTI was 39.3% (187/476). Ischemic strokes accounted for a larger percentage of abnormal urinalysis (74.9%), when compared to hemorrhagic strokes (25.1%). Nonetheless, patients suffering hemorrhagic strokes had similar rates of UTI (40.2%) versus Ischemic Stroke Patients (38.7%). The incidence of UTI was significantly higher than reported infection rates of general population controls (187/476=39.3% versus 52/424=10.9%, p<0.001). Conclusion: Our findings provide some evidence that the incidence of UTI is significantly higher for patients with CVA than is found in the general population