Quantifying the Benefits of Faster Onset-to-Treatment Times for Thrombolysis

Intravenous thrombolysis is more effective when administered soon after symptom onset, yet in-hospital delays of 80 minutes are commonplace (Circulation 2011; 123:750). Previous studies have quantified the benefits of timely treatment as odds ratios, numbers needed to treat, or numbers of neurons saved. In this study, researchers developed a model to quantify the lifetime health benefits of faster treatment using a perhaps more tangible, patient-centered measure: the disability-adjusted life day. This summary measure incorporates the quantity of life benefits of averting premature death as well as the quality of life benefits of reducing disability over a lifetime. The researchers used data from a pooled analysis of thrombolysis trials to e…