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DIRECT-SAFE: A Randomized Controlled Trial of DIRECT Endovascular Clot Retrieval Versus Standard Bridging Thrombolysis With Endovascular Clot Retrieval

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Ischemic Stroke
Interventions
Other: Direct endovascular clot retrieval
Other: Bridging thrombolysis followed by ECR
Registration Number
NCT03494920
Lead Sponsor
Neuroscience Trials Australia
Brief Summary

The study will be a multicentre, prospective, randomized, open label, blinded endpoint (PROBE) phase 3 trial (2 arm with 1:1 randomization) in ischemic stroke patients within 4.5 hours of stroke onset. Randomised patients will be stratified for site of baseline arterial occlusion into one of three groups: 1. internal carotid artery (ICA) 2. middle cerebral artery (MCA) 3. basilar artery (BA). Patients will be randomised to either bridging intravenous thrombolysis with endovascular clot retrieval (ECR), or direct endovascular clot retrieval.

Detailed Description

The DIRECT-SAFE trial will include patients with acute ischemic stroke, who are ≥18 years of age and are eligible for standard intravenous tPA therapy within 4.5 hours of stroke onset. Patients will be assessed for large vessel occlusion to determine their eligibility for randomization into the trial. Eligible vessel occlusions include the internal carotid artery, basilar artery or middle cerebral artery (M1 or M2). Patients will be consented after large vessel occlusion is confirmed based on standard care multimodal imaging.

Patients will be recruited in Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and Europe. Randomisation either direct to ECR or standard thrombolytic therapy and ECR shall be in a 1:1 ratio.

All patients will have a multimodal MR (or CT/CTP at investigator's discretion if MRI not possible) at 18 to 30 hours post treatment to assess reperfusion, recanalization, ischemic core growth and hemorrhagic transformation. Final follow up will occur at Day 90.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
295
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke eligible using standard criteria to receive IV thrombolysis within 4.5 hours of stroke onset
  2. Patient's age is ≥18 years
  3. Intra-arterial clot retrieval treatment can commence (groin puncture) within 6 hours of stroke onset.
  4. Arterial occlusion on CTA or MRA of the ICA, M1, M2 or basilar artery
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) identified by CT or MRI
  2. Rapidly improving symptoms at the discretion of the investigator
  3. Pre-stroke mRS score of ≥ 4 (indicating previous disability)
  4. Hypodensity in >1/3 MCA territory on non-contrast CT
  5. Contra indication to imaging with contrast agents
  6. Any terminal illness such that patient would not be expected to survive more than 1 year
  7. Any condition that, in the judgment of the investigator could impose hazards to the patient if study therapy is initiated or affect the participation of the patient in the study.
  8. Pregnant women

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Direct endovascular clot retrievalDirect endovascular clot retrievalEndovascular clot retrieval (ECR) within 4.5 hours stroke
Bridging thrombolysis followed by ECRBridging thrombolysis followed by ECRIntravenous tPA (at the standard licensed dose of 0.9 mg/kg up to a maximum of 90mg, 10% as bolus and the remainder over 1 hour) followed by ECR
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Modified Rankin Scale (mRS)- ordinal analysis3 months

Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 or no change from baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Angiographic reperfusionBaseline

Proportion of patients with good angiographic reperfusion (mTICI 2b-3)

modified Rankin Scale (mRS)- ordinal analysis3 months

mRS 0-1 or no change from baseline

Death3 months

Death due to any cause

Symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (sICH)24 hours

Proportion of patients with sICH

Trial Locations

Locations (33)

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital

🇦🇺

Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

Shanxi People's Hospital

🇨🇳

Shanxi, Taiyuan, China

China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University

🇨🇳

Jilin, China

Wuhan Central Hospital

🇨🇳

Wuhan, Hubei, China

John Hunter Hospital

🇦🇺

New Lambton, New South Wales, Australia

Liverpool Hospital

🇦🇺

Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia

Fiona Stanley Hospital

🇦🇺

Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia

Royal Melbourne Hospital

🇦🇺

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Shiyan Taihe Hospital

🇨🇳

Hubei, China

Beijing Fengtai Youanmen Hospital

🇨🇳

Beijing, China

Royal Adelaide Hospital

🇦🇺

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Maoming People's Hospital

🇨🇳

Maoming, China

Binzhou People's Hospital

🇨🇳

Shandong, China

Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University

🇨🇳

Shunde, China

Monash Medical Centre

🇦🇺

Clayton, Victoria, Australia

Mobile Stroke Unit

🇦🇺

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Shantou Central Hospital

🇨🇳

Shantou, Guangdong, China

Cangzhou Central Hospital

🇨🇳

Cangzhou, Hebei, China

The 4th Affiliated Hospital of CMU

🇨🇳

Shenyang, Liaoning, China

Ningxiang People's Hospital

🇨🇳

Hunan, China

Tianjin TEDA Hospital

🇨🇳

Tianjin, China

Jingjiang People's Hospital

🇨🇳

Taizhou, China

Gold Coast University Hospital

🇦🇺

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Royal North Shore Hospital

🇦🇺

St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia

Linyi People's Hospital

🇨🇳

Linyi, Shandong, China

Yunfu People's Hospital

🇨🇳

Guangdong, China

Beijing Tiantin Hospital

🇨🇳

Beijing, China

Military Hospital 103

🇻🇳

Hanoi, Vietnam

Singapore General Hospital

🇸🇬

Singapore, Singapore

Bach Mai Hospital

🇻🇳

Hanoi, Vietnam

115 People's Hospital

🇻🇳

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital

🇦🇺

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Princess Alexandra Hospital

🇦🇺

Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia

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