POC4Triage: Working together across Europe to improve emergency stroke diagnosis

POC4Triage: Working together across Europe to improve emergency stroke diagnosis

When someone has a stroke, every minute without treatment can mean more brain damage. Fast and accurate diagnosis is essential so patients can get the right treatment as quickly as possible.

POC4Triage is a European research project bringing together hospitals, researchers and patients across several countries to test new technologies in real-life emergency settings, learning from different healthcare systems, ambulance services and diverse groups of patients.

Testing new tools in emergency care
Across Europe, clinical teams are testing four portable devices where the patient is being treated, such as ambulances or emergency departments. These devices are designed to give quick information about what is happening in the brain and body during a suspected stroke.

At two participating centres, Amsterdam UMC (the Netherlands) and Vall d’Hebron Hospital (Spain), researchers are testing two brain-monitoring technologies:

• An electroencephaloeraphy (EEG) device, which is a lightweight patch with sensors that sits just below the hairline and helps detect a stroke
• A functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device, which uses light to look at blood flow in the brain and monitor changes linked to stroke 

The devices are tested using a step-by-step approach, first they are tested in healthy volunteers, then in hospital emergency departments and finally in ambulances. This gradual process allows researchers to refine and improve the technology before it can be widely used.

What participation in a research project like POC4Triage means for patients

Patients who are suspected of having a stroke may be invited to take part in the study while in the ambulance or emergency department. All research is carried out according to strict ethical guidelines and approved by independent ethics committees to ensure patient safety and rights are protected.

The measurements are very quick. The recording itself takes around two minutes, and the full process, including preparing the skin and placing the device, takes less than five minutes. The devices do not require needles or surgery.

While patients may not directly benefit from participating during their own emergency, their involvement plays a crucial role. By helping researchers better understand how to recognise stroke earlier and diagnose stroke more accurately, participants contribute to improvements that could lead to faster diagnosis, quicker treatment and better recovery for future stroke patients.

Dr Noelia Rodriguez, Stroke Neurologist from Vall d’Hebron Hospital, explains:

“Stroke is a medical emergency where early diagnosis is critical. These devices could help us understand what is happening in the ambulance on route to the hospital, enabling us to make even faster treatment decisions in the future.”

Arlene Wilkie, Director General of SAFE, says:

“POC4Triage shows how research in real emergency settings can lead to devices that improve stroke care. Time is brain, every improvement in speed and accuracy has the potential to save lives, reduce disability and quality of life for survivors in the future.”

For more information, please contact research@safestroke.eu or visit the POC4TRIAGE website https://poc4triage.eu

POC4Triage has received funding from the European Union under grant agreement No 101137358.