Triage for Transient Ischemic Attack in the Emergency Department

Is the ABCD² risk-stratification score feasible and safe to use for triaging patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the emergency department (ED) to either inpatient or outpatient follow-up? To find out, researchers prospectively studied 224 people with suspected TIA who presented to Stanford University Medical Center's ED.

Using the ABCD² score and selective vascular imaging completed in the ED, a vascular neurologist recommended either hospitalization (for patients with ABCD² scores of 6–7 or ABCD² scores of 4–5 with significant vascular stenosis) or discharge for follow-up at an outpatient TIA clinic (ABCD² score of 0–3 or ABCD² score of 4–5 without significant vascular stenosis). The attending ED physician was responsible for m…