title: Telemedicine-guided remote enrollment of patients into an acute stroke trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Enrollment into acute stroke clinical trials is limited to experienced tertiary centers with emergency research infrastructure. Feasibility of remote enrollment via telemedicine into an acute thrombolytic clinical trial has never been demonstrated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using telemedicine, our hub stroke research center partnered with two spoke community hospitals to jointly participate in a randomized, phase III adjunctive thrombolysis clinical trial in the first 3 h after symptom onset to expand recruitment of the trial. Eligible patients were successfully identified, consented, randomized, and received therapy/placebo at the spoke hospitals under real-time direction by hub trialists via telemedicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten patients were identified from May 2013 to July 2014, and six were enrolled via telemedicine. No study procedure delays, safety events, or major protocol violations occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is feasible to randomize and enroll stroke patients via remote telemedicine into an acute thrombolytic clinical trial. This novel approach could expand access and accelerate completion of clinical trials if widely implemented.
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Tzu-Ching
authors: TC
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Amrou
authors: A
authors: Sarraj
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Amber
authors: A
authors: Jacobs
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Loren
authors: L
authors: Shen
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Hari
authors: H
authors: Indupuru
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Beaumont, Texas.
authors: Donna
authors: D
authors: Biscamp
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas Beaumont, Texas.
authors: Victor
authors: V
authors: Ho
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Christy
authors: C
authors: Ankrom
authors: Clinical Innovation and Research Institute, Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center Houston, Texas.
authors: James C
authors: JC
authors: Grotta
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Sean I
authors: SI
authors: Savitz
authors: Department of Neurology, University of Texas-Health Science Center at Houston Houston, Texas.
authors: Andrew D
authors: AD
authors: Barreto
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