Active clinical trials for "Stroke"

Cardiac arrhythmia are frequently observed after stroke. They may on one hand be causative for the stroke mainly in case of atrial fibrillation but on the other hand present severe complications of the stroke. In addition, cardiac comorbidity as well as acute myocardial infarction are frequently found in acute stroke patients. Diagnostics to identify cardiac arrhythmia in the acute phase of stroke care thus have an important role not only for adjusting the correct secondary prevention but also to prevent cardiac complications potentially reducing morbidity and mortality. The aim of the SAMBA-Study is to systematically assess the prevalence of higher grade arrhythmias after stroke using a standardized reading of 72h telemetric monitoring in the first days after stroke onset. In addition, it evaluates different strategies to identify paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

The aim of the study is to assess the incidence of patients suffering from ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attacks who have underlying asymptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack, without a history of atrial fibrillation, are planned to be included. Starting within 14 days of the ischemic stroke, participating patients are asked to perform 10 second ECG recordings using a handheld ECG device twice daily (mornings and evenings) during 30 days. These recordings are transmitted via telephone to a secure encrypted Internet site. Within these 30 days the participants also perform an ambulatory 24 hour Holter recording. Handheld ECG recordings are evaluated continuously. In case of atrial fibrillation the patient is informed and offered treatment with anti coagulant medication (Warfarin). The investigation is a comparison between 24 hour continuous ECG recordings and short intermittent ECG recordings twice daily over a longer time period to determine which method is the best to detect atrial fibrillation in this patient group. Hypothesis: Short Intermittent ECG recordings over a longer time period is more efficient, compared with continuous 24 hour ECG recordings, in detecting silent paroxysmal AF in patients with an ischemic stroke and without a history of atrial fibrillation.

The Magnetic Resonance angiography (MRA) of supraaortic vessels is essential for the etiologic of stroke. However, the techniques usually used provide only static evaluation (degree of stenosis, occlusion) but not dynamic. An ultra-fast 3D MRA originally developed for the cardiac imaging, k-t blast (Broad-use Linear Acquisition Speed-up Technique) could be used to review the supraaortic vessels. This MRA offers the following advantages: short acquisition time, wide spatial coverage (of the thoracic aorta to the distal encephalic arteries), 3D spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. These qualities are even more optimal with a high magnetic field (3T). The high temporal resolution is interesting because it provides to repeat a volume every eight seconds and thus to have a dynamic evaluation of vascular filling and to assess the vascular supply of the infarcted territory. This sequence is classified as a 4D MRA.

More than one million people in Europe suffer from a stroke every day. Normally older people have a stroke, but also a significant number of younger people between 18 and 55 years. Usually, these can only be explained for a minority by the classical risk factors such as diabetes, overweight and high blood pressure. New studies indicate that in about 1 - 2 % of the younger stroke patients the etiology can be an undiagnosed genetic disease, e.g. Fabry disease. Fabry disease is a lysosomal storage disorder known to cause vasculopathy. The purpose of this study is to determine in a large number of young stroke patients, how many strokes were caused by Fabry disease and what risk factors might be able to predict this disease.

The purpose of the study is to use diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived axial diffusivity and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) to evaluate the severity of acute ischemic stroke and to predict its functional outcome.

The aim of the study is to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of a combined biomarker test (including NMDA-Receptor fragments [NR2-peptide] and Glial fibrillary acidic protein) used to differentiate between cerebral ischemia and intracerebral hemorrhage in patients with acute hemispheric stroke.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the Sleuth Implantable Loop Recorder will enhance detection of latent atrial fibrillation in patients after cryptogenic stroke.

We hypothesize that the stroke volume variation measured using the commercially available LiDCO monitor provides a reasonable estimate of volume when compared to standard measures. This study will collate data that is already being collected by the bedside nurses.

We would like to investigate the natural variation in the strokevolume of the heart. At the same time we would like to find out the minimal number of heart cycles necessary to discover a 10% increase in strokevolume, after a fluid bolus of 200ml Voluven, when using Esophageal Doppler.

The purpose of this study is to determine what the potential utility of the Functional Tone Management (F.T.M) Arm Training Program using the SaeboFlex in an inpatient stroke rehabiliation hospital