Abstract WP246: Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients With a Primary Language Other Than English Do Not Have Significantly Increased Door-to-Needle Times for Intravenous TPA

Background: Rapid administration of intravenous alteplase (IV tPA) leads to better outcomes, but language barriers have the potential to introduce delays and to hinder effective communication with patients and collateral historians during the acute evaluation. Hypothesis: Acute ischemic stroke patients with a non-English primary language will have significantly longer door-to-needle times for IV tPA. Methods: We abstracted information on primary language for all adults that received IV tPA for acute ischemic stroke in the emergency department of an academic referral center in San Francisco, CA, from February 2008 to May 2015. Approximately 38% of San Francisco residents speak a language other than English at home. Primary language was determined from the electronic medical record and was confirmed by reviewing specific documentation in subsequent speech therapy evaluations and admission notes. Age, sex, race, presenting NIHSS, aphasia as a presenting symptom, whether the patient was accompanied to the eme...