Reducing Risk of Stroke and DementIa in PatientS with COVert CERebrovascular Disease

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH · Mar 13, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The DISCOVER study is focused on understanding how to better monitor and care for people with covert cerebrovascular disease (CCD), a condition that can lead to strokes or dementia. This pilot study aims to explore approaches that could eventually help design larger trials to test treatments for reducing these risks. It’s an important first step to improve health outcomes for individuals at risk.

To be eligible for the study, participants need to be at least 65 years old and should not have a history of stroke, dementia, or certain other serious medical conditions. They also need to have had a brain scan (like a CT or MRI) in the last five years showing signs of small vessel disease or old strokes. If you choose to participate, you’ll be helping researchers gather valuable information that could lead to better care for others in the future. But please note, the study is not yet recruiting participants, so it’s important to check back later for more information.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • People who, at the time the letter is prepared or are identified by a clinician
• • Age ≥ 65 years
• * Have no known history of:
• • Stroke or TIA
• • Dementia
• • Parkinson's disease
• • Multiple sclerosis
• • Metastatic cancer (or non-meningioma brain tumour).
• * A CT or MRI scan report ≤5 years before study start date with of one or more of:
• • Cerebral small vessel disease
• • Deep old ischaemic stroke
• • Cortical old ischaemic stroke
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Text of brain scan report unreadable
• • Do not consent to take part in study procedures
• • Unable to consent
• • Unable to communicate by email, letter or telephone through language, speech disability or lack of address
• • Unlikely to survive one year past enrolment in judgement of the study investigator