When a stroke happens, the first hospital a patient reaches is often a smaller community one. These hospitals need a fast, reliable way to spot the most severe strokes—those caused by a large blood clot blocking a major artery in the front of the brain. These 'anterior circulation large vessel occlusion' strokes require immediate transfer to a specialized center for advanced treatment.
This research looked at data from 722 stroke patients to create a simple, four-point checklist for community hospitals. The scale, called CEA2, checks for four things: a change in consciousness, gaze deviation (where the eyes are stuck looking to one side), weakness in one arm, and whether the patient has a history of atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm).
In testing, when a patient scored 2 or more points on this scale, it was a strong predictor of this major type of stroke. The tool was also linked to identifying strokes likely caused by a clot from the heart. The goal is to give frontline doctors in community hospitals a clear, quick way to recognize which stroke patients need to be rushed to a comprehensive stroke center for life-saving procedures.