Recommendations for advancing development of acute stroke therapies: Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable 3.
BACKGROUND
The development of acute stroke therapy has proven to be a daunting task, with a few successful and many unsuccessful trials. New strategies need to be considered to enhance the chances for success in future trials.


RESULTS
The third Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable (STAIR) conference focused on issues related to increasing the percentage of acute stroke patients who might be included in acute stroke therapy trials and ultimately treated with drugs proven to be effective. A second focus was directed at the need for implementing multimodality stroke trials and potential ways to organize such trials in the near future. Finally, concepts for organizing and implementing acute stroke trials that incorporate current, state of the art trial methodology were discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
It is hoped that these suggestions will enhance future stroke trials and the development of effective, new acute stroke treatments that are maximally effective and utilized.
Fisher
Marc
M
Department of Neurology, UMASS/Memorial Healthcare, 119 Belmont St, Worcester, Mass 01605, USA. fisherm@ummhc.org
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D019468:Disease Management; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018579:Patient Selection; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards*; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy; D013997:Time Factors
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents