FOAMcastini – Dr. Jerome Hoffman on ACEP’s tPA Clinical Policy

(iTunes or Listen Here)

In a prior FOAMcastini, we covered the updated ACEP tPA clinical policy. As residents, we sought perspectives from experts, the FOAMcast brain trust (Drs. Anand Swaminathan, Ken Milne, Ryan Radecki, and David Newman).  We (Jeremy) also interviewed Dr. Jerry Hoffman, faculty at UCLA.

In this interview, Dr. Jerry Hoffman, a public skeptic and author of peer reviewed critiques of tPA provides interesting perspective on more than thrombolysis but on the future of guidelines (referencing this paper) and science in Emergency Medicine.

A few of Dr. Hoffman’s articles on the topic:

Ensuring the integrity of clinical practice guidelines: a tool for protecting patients.

How is more negative evidence being used to support claims of benefit: The curious case of the third international stroke trial (IST-3).

Thrombolysis for stroke: policy should be based on science, and not on politics, money or fear of malpractice.

Stroke thrombolysis: we need new data, not more reviews.

Against: And just what is the emperor of stroke wearing?

Thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke – Tissue plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke: Is the CAEP Position Statement too negative?

FOAMcastini – ACEP tPA Clinical Policy

(iTunes or Listen Here)

In a prior FOAMcastini, we covered a draft of an ACEP clinical policy on tPA for acute ischemic stroke.  This came in the wake of years of controversy over the aggressive position taken in the 2012 clinical policy.  In June ACEP released the final version of this policy.

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Per the policy within 3 hours:

  • NNT of 8 for excellent functional outcomes; 95% [CI] 4-31
    • Paucity of patients presenting with mild stroke (NIHSS score 0 to 4)
  • NNH of 17 for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage; 95% CI 12-34

While FOAMcast is not an interview style podcast, we felt compelled to get some perspective on Emergency Physicians a little more experienced than ourselves.  Here we interview:

Dr. Ryan Radecki (@emlitofnote), Assistant Professor, University of Texas – Houston

  • See his response to the policy on his blog here

Dr. David Newman (#draftnewman), Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital

Dr. Anand Swaminathan (@EMSwami), Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, NYU

Dr. Ken Milne (@thesgem), Chief of Staff at South Huron Hospital