Natural History of Stroke: Cause and Development

Launched by NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE (NINDS) · Jan 24, 2001

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is focused on understanding stroke better, including its causes and how it develops. Researchers aim to gather important information that will help inform future studies. They will create a registry of patients who have experienced stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is a temporary interruption of blood flow to the brain that can cause stroke-like symptoms. The study will involve people aged 18 or older who come to the emergency department at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, with suspected stroke or TIA.

If you or a loved one participates, you can expect to undergo some standard medical tests that are typically done during a stroke evaluation, such as blood tests, heart monitoring (EKG), and imaging scans of the brain (CT and MRI) and heart (echocardiogram). These tests will help researchers gather valuable data about strokes and TIAs. Participants may also be asked to return for follow-up visits at 1, 3, and/or 12 months to see how things have changed over time. It’s important to note that some individuals may not be eligible to join the study, such as those with certain medical devices or conditions that would prevent them from undergoing an MRI.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• * INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:
• • 1. Aged \>=18
• • 2. Presented to participating study site (ED, ICU, or inpatient unit) with or at risk of acute stroke, TIA, or other disturbances of cerebrovascular circulation
• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
• An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:
• 1. Subjects with contraindication to MRI scanning will be excluded from any testing which involves the use of MRI. The contraindications include subjects with the following devices or conditions:
• • Central nervous system aneurysm clips
• • Implanted neural stimulator
• • Implanted cardiac pacemaker or defibrillator
• • Cochlear implant
• • Ocular foreign body (e.g. metal shavings)
• • Insulin pump
• • Metal shrapnel or bullet
• • Any implanted device that is incompatible with MRI
• • Subjects with a condition precluding entry in the scanner (e.g. morbid obesity, Claustrophobia, etc.) will not be included in the MRI portion of this study.
• • 2. Pregnancy