Reducing Risk of Stroke and DementIa in PatientS with COVert CERebrovascular Disease

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Covert Cerebrovascular Disease

• Registration Number: NCT06878430
• Lead Sponsor: University of Edinburgh

Brief Summary

The purpose of the DISCOVER study is to pilot acceptable approaches to people with covert cerebrovascular disease (CCD) and their follow-up. This is the first step in designing efficient randomised trials of treatments to reduce the risk of stroke or dementia in people with CCD.

Detailed Description

DISCOVER is a prospective cohort involving individuals with covert cerebrovascular disease (CCD) in NHS Lothian. Participants will be recruited through electronic health records and clinician collaborators. Participants will be monitored at 3 and 6 months and where possible 12 months to assess cognitive, functional, and vascular event outcomes.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Study First Submitted: 2025-03-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-03-13
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-13
• Study First Posted: 2025-03-17
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-17
• Study Start: 2025-06
• Primary Completion: 2026-06
• Study Completion: 2026-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• People who, at the time the letter is prepared or are identified by a clinician

  • Age ≥ 65 years

  • Have no known history of:

    • Stroke or TIA
    • Dementia
    • Parkinson's disease
    • Multiple sclerosis
    • Metastatic cancer (or non-meningioma brain tumour).

  • A CT or MRI scan report ≤5 years before study start date with of one or more of:

    • Cerebral small vessel disease
    • Deep old ischaemic stroke
    • Cortical old ischaemic stroke

Exclusion Criteria

• Text of brain scan report unreadable
• Do not consent to take part in study procedures
• Unable to consent
• Unable to communicate by email, letter or telephone through language, speech disability or lack of address
• Unlikely to survive one year past enrolment in judgement of the study investigator

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Functional scores	At 3, 6 and 12 months following enrolment	The investigators will measure day-to-day function with a Lawton scale, with scores ranging between 0 (low function, dependent) and 8 (high function, independent) for women, and 0 and 5 for men.
Cognitive scores	At 3, 6 and 12 months following enrolment	The investigators will measure concerns or anxiety about covert cerebrovascular disease using the Dementia Questionnaire, a semi-structured interview validated for dementia diagnosis from a knowledgeable informant.
Speech samples	At 3, 6 and 12 months following enrolment	Speech will be measured at assessment, in collaboration with the NeuroCARE Clinical and Digital Measures Module (22/SS/0010 IRAS No. 310885).
Vascular events	At 3, 6 and 12 months following enrolment	At each assessment the investigators will ask about dementia, mild cognitive impairment and stroke symptoms.