Current practice versus willingness to enroll in clinical trials: paradox among vascular neurologists about treatment for acute ischemic stroke.
OBJECTIVE
Clinical trials are assessing the efficacy of fibrinolysis in extended time windows for acute ischemic stroke.


METHODS
An Internet-based survey was sent to 400 US vascular neurologists affiliated with a university to assess whether there are consensus opinions on how they treat patients beyond 3 hours from symptom onset and which patients they are willing to enroll into clinical trials of fibrinolysis for acute ischemic stroke.


RESULTS
We received 161 responses; 81% were male. Ninety-three percent of respondents treat patients with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator beyond 3 hours. More than 80% were treated beyond 3 hours with intra-arterial therapy (IAT). When asked if IAT improves stroke outcome, >50% selected the choice of "yes for middle cerebral artery and basilar occlusions" and only 2% selected the choice that "IAT does not improve outcome." Over half believe that imaging could be used to approximate the penumbra but with improvements to better identify salvageable tissue. Eighty-seven percent were willing to enroll patients into a placebo-controlled intravenous thrombolysis beyond 3 hours. For IAT trials, >80% would randomize beyond 3 hours with or without prior intravenous treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Vascular neurologists have been treating acute ischemic stroke beyond 3 hours with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator even before the American Heart Association guidelines supported extending the therapeutic window. There is a paradox among the respondents willing to enroll patients into trials involving IAT given that a majority is offering IAT as part of their practice. These results suggest that clinical practice may impair enrollment into trials testing reperfusion therapies for acute ischemic stroke.
El Khoury
Ramy
R
Department of Neurology, University of Texas in Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Fisher
Marc
M
Savitz
Sean I
SI
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator