Advances to Know in Alzheimer's, Migraine, and Stroke
Advances to Know in Alzheimer's, Migraine, and Stroke
Finally, Rost highlighted findings from the recent MR CLEAN trial, assessing the treatment of acute stroke. "There are very few game-changers that come during our lifetimes," she started out, "but as a stroke neurologist I think this study in particular is one of these."
The initial MR CLEAN data were published late last year. But given the potential clinical impact of the findings, Rost felt that they deserved more exposure at the AAN meeting. The study design was simple and the recruitment impressive: Within a few years, a team of Dutch researchers was able to include over 500 patients from a number of centers across The Netherlands. Patients treated with standard care—intravenous thrombolysis—were compared with those given standard care plus intra-arterial intervention, primarily using the latest-generation stent retrievers.
Patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy had significantly better functional outcomes, defined as functional independence, compared with those who received only standard therapy. In Medscape's initial coverage of these results, study investigator Diederik Dippel, MD, from Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam, commented, "Our study shows that intra-arterial treatment works. Patients are left with less handicap if they are treated with the endovascular approach."
When asked who would perform the presumed increased number of interventional procedures in light of the new findings, Rost acknowledged that use of interventional approaches was likely to increase. "However," she concluded, "there is a group of neuroendovascular specialists who are prepared to take it on."
A Stroke Debate Finally Settled?
Finally, Rost highlighted findings from the recent MR CLEAN trial, assessing the treatment of acute stroke. "There are very few game-changers that come during our lifetimes," she started out, "but as a stroke neurologist I think this study in particular is one of these."
The initial MR CLEAN data were published late last year. But given the potential clinical impact of the findings, Rost felt that they deserved more exposure at the AAN meeting. The study design was simple and the recruitment impressive: Within a few years, a team of Dutch researchers was able to include over 500 patients from a number of centers across The Netherlands. Patients treated with standard care—intravenous thrombolysis—were compared with those given standard care plus intra-arterial intervention, primarily using the latest-generation stent retrievers.
Patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy had significantly better functional outcomes, defined as functional independence, compared with those who received only standard therapy. In Medscape's initial coverage of these results, study investigator Diederik Dippel, MD, from Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam, commented, "Our study shows that intra-arterial treatment works. Patients are left with less handicap if they are treated with the endovascular approach."
When asked who would perform the presumed increased number of interventional procedures in light of the new findings, Rost acknowledged that use of interventional approaches was likely to increase. "However," she concluded, "there is a group of neuroendovascular specialists who are prepared to take it on."
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