New tool helps doctors predict outcomes for stroke patients

[Allina Health News: Research, July 28, 2023] Doctors have developed a new tool to help predict how well stroke patients will do after treatment, which can lead to better outcomes for patients. Researchers at Allina Health tested it on patients and concluded it is more accurate than other tools doctors use to predict outcomes.

The tool is called the neurovascular comorbidity index (NCI), and it's designed specifically for patients with stroke.

The NCI looks at 20 different health conditions that can affect stroke patients, like high blood pressure or diabetes. It gives each condition a score based on how much it affects the patient's outcome.

Doctors can use the NCI to predict how likely a patient is to die in the hospital or have a poor outcome after treatment.

The NCI was tested on patients who received reperfusion treatment, which is a type of treatment that helps restore blood flow to the brain.

Read more about this research: Validation of a neurovascular comorbidity index for risk adjustment of comorbid conditions among ischemic stroke patients receiving reperfusion treatment