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Case study

Revolutionising LVO stroke detection

Treating patients with strokes quickly in specialist units is critical to improving recovery. However, there are many other conditions that produce the same symptoms, such as migraine and epilepsy. Around 40% of patients initially suspected as having a stroke by paramedics are later given a different diagnosis. Treatments for certain severe strokes are available only in a limited number of regional specialist stroke centres. This leads to some patients receiving treatment late, or not at all, when compared to patients who live near to a regional centre.

There are around 100,000 strokes every year in the UK; that is one every five minutes.

The NENC ecosystem came together to support the trial and subsequent adoption of a rapid diagnostic test to identify large vessel occlusion in minutes, the test is called LVOne.

It is estimated the portable test could save the NHS £2 billion annually, avoid disabilities and save lives.

The NENC ecosystem came together to support the trial and subsequent adoption of a rapid diagnostic test to identify large vessel occlusion in minutes, the test is called LVOne.


Impact

  • It is estimated the portable test could save the NHS £2 billion annually, avoid disabilities and save lives
  • Potentially the test could allow direct ambulance transfer of patients to regional specialist stroke centres and significantly faster specialist treatment, by reducing time to treatment by up to 70-90 minutes, thereby improving their recovery and leading to better outcomes.

Collaborating partners across the NENC Ecosystem include Professor Chris Price and Dr Lisa Shaw, from the Newcastle University Stroke Research Group, the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC), the NIHR Newcastle In Vitro Diagnostics Co-operative, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northumbria University, and the North East Ambulance Service.

Find out more: https://upfrontdiagnostics.com/lvone/

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