MAPSTROKE

Global access to acute stroke treatment is variable worldwide, with notable gaps in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), especially in rural areas. Ensuring a standardized method for pinpointing the existing regional coverage and proposing potential sites for new stroke centers is essential to change this scenario. This project aim to create and apply computational strategies (CS) to determine optimal locations for new Acute Stroke Centers (ASCs), with a pilot application in nine Latin-American regions/countries.

Hospitals treating Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and meeting the minimum infrastructure requirements per structured protocols were categorized as ASCs. Hospitals with emergency departments, non-contrast CT scanners, and 24/7 laboratories were identified as Potential Acute Stroke Centers (PASCs). Hospital geolocation data were collected and mapped using the OpenStreetMap® dataset. A 45-minute drive radius was considered the ideal coverage area for each hospital based on the drive speeds from the OpenRouteService® database. Population data, including demographic density, was obtained from the Kontur Population® datasets. The proposed CS assessed the population covered by ASCs and proposed new ASCs or artificial points (APs) settled in densely populated areas to achieve a target population coverage (TPC) of 95%.

The MAPSTROKE project has the potential to provide a systematic approach to identify areas with limited access to stroke centers and propose solutions for increasing access to AIS treatment.

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Kick-start funded by the World Stroke Organization via the Pilot Research Program 2022
Restricted funding received by the Angels Initiative - Boehringer Ingelheim.