| Summary: | A stroke is the sudden loss of brain function due to cell death resulting from poor or interrupted blood flow within the brain. Strokes are classified as either ischemic, due to lack of blood flood, or hemorrhagic, which are caused by uncontrolled bleeding in the brain. Symptoms of stroke include sudden weakness, inability to move or feel on one side of the body (i.e., paralysis), problems understanding or speaking, dizziness, loss of vision, severe headache, and loss of consciousness. Clinical diagnosis of stroke can be made using patient history and physical examination, diagnostic tests (e.g., blood glucose, oxygen saturation, prothrombin time, and electrocardiography), and various neuroimaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although advanced imaging techniques such as CT and MRI are considered the gold standard for stroke identification, they may not always be readily available in resource-constrained health care settings. A number of novel portable stroke diagnostic devices have been developed in order to decrease the amount of time required to establish a stroke diagnosis, which is important given that the early identification and treatment of stroke are critical for improving clinical outcomes and ensuring patients receive necessary medical attention. The objective of the current report is to evaluate the evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness of several portable stroke diagnostic devices for adults with symptoms of stroke
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