International journal of stroke : official journal of the International Stroke Society
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
close: Closure of patent foramen ovale, oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet therapy to prevent stroke recurrence: Study design.
Currently available data do not provide definitive evidence on the comparative benefits of closure of patent foramen ovale, oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet therapy in patients with patent foramen ovale-associated cryptogenic stroke ⋯ CLOSE is the first specifically designed trial to assess the superiority of patent foramen ovale closure over antiplatelet therapy alone and the superiority of oral anticoagulants over antiplatelet therapy to prevent stroke recurrence in patients with patent foramen ovale-associated cryptogenic stroke.
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Multicenter Study
Three-month risk-benefit profile of anticoagulation after stroke with atrial fibrillation: The SAMURAI-Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation (NVAF) study.
This study was performed to determine the short-term risk-benefit profiles of patients treated with oral anticoagulation for acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack using a multicenter, prospective registry. ⋯ Stroke or systemic embolism during the initial three-month anticoagulation period after stroke/transient ischemic attack was not frequent as compared to previous findings regardless of warfarin or non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants were used. Intracranial hemorrhage was relatively uncommon in non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant users, although treatment assignment was not randomized. Early initiation of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants during the acute stage of stroke/transient ischemic attack in real-world clinical settings seems safe in bleeding-susceptible Japanese population.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Early tracheostomy in ventilated stroke patients: Study protocol of the international multicentre randomized trial SETPOINT2 (Stroke-related Early Tracheostomy vs. Prolonged Orotracheal Intubation in Neurocritical care Trial 2).
Tracheostomy is a common procedure in long-term ventilated critical care patients and frequently necessary in those with severe stroke. The optimal timing for tracheostomy is still unknown, and it is controversial whether early tracheostomy impacts upon functional outcome. ⋯ The necessity and optimal timing of tracheostomy in ventilated stroke patients need to be identified. SETPOINT2 should clarify whether benefits in functional outcome can be achieved by early tracheostomy in these patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Acute Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack Treated with Aspirin or Ticagrelor and Patient Outcomes (SOCRATES) trial: rationale and design.
The risk of recurrent ischemia is high in the acute period after ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack. Aspirin is recommended by guidelines for this indication, but more intensive antiplatelet therapy may be justified. ⋯ The SOCRATES trial fulfills an important clinical need by evaluating a potent antiplatelet agent as a superior alternative to current standard of care in patients presenting acutely with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Which stroke patients gain most from intermittent pneumatic compression: further analyses of the CLOTS 3 trial.
The CLOTS 3 trial showed that intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) reduced the risk of DVT and improved survival after stroke. ⋯ IPC appears to reduce the risk of DVT and probably improves survival in all immobile stroke patients, other than the fifth with the best prognosis. It therefore seems reasonable to recommend that IPC should be considered in all immobile stroke patients, but that the final decision should be based on a judgment about the individual's prognosis. In some, their prognosis for survival with an acceptable quality of life will be so poor that use of IPC might be considered futile, while at the other end of the spectrum, patients' risk of DVT, and of dying from VTE, may not be high enough to justify the modest cost and inconvenience of IPC use.