Introduction and Aim of the work: Numerous studies have shown contradictory data regarding sex differences in pre-and in- hospital delays of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Our objective is to investigate these differences among Egyptian patients presenting with AIS. Methods: This prospective, single-center, open-label cohort study was conducted from September 2022 to December 2023. Patients with IVT-eligible acute ischemic stroke, who did not receive IVT, were included in the study. Patients were recruited from the largest tertiary stroke center in the south of Egypt. All participants underwent a full neurological assessment including NIHSS, laboratory work-up and computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were subjected to a structured questionnaire designed to determine the parameters and time metrics associated with pre-hospital and in-hospital delays. Results: A total of 897 patients, 41.8% of whom were females, were included in our study. General demographic characteristics were similar between both groups. 70.9 % of female and 65.1 % of male patients arrived at stroke ready hospital outside the therapeutic time window. Female patients experienced a significantly longer duration from symptom onset to hospital arrival (600 ± 618 minutes) compared to male patients (480 ± 438 minutes). Stroke misdiagnosis was non-significantly higher among the female group (58.9%). The time spent in the hospital did not significantly differ between males and female Conclusion: The study results indicate a significant disparity in the management of female stroke patients in both prehospital and in-hospital settings, with the most pronounced delays occurring during prehospital care.
Ahmed et al. (Thu,) studied this question.