Future of Stroke Treatment

March 7, 2019

A Stanford-led study, “EnDovascular ThErapy Following Imaging EvalUation for ISchemic StrokE” or DEFUSE 3, has received a Distinguished Clinical Research Achievement Award presented by Clinical Research Forum. This prestigious honor is given to two studies that show creativity, innovation, or a novel approach that demonstrate an immediate impact on the health and well-being of patients.

DEFUSE 3 challenges the concept that brain tissue dies rapidly following the onset of stroke symptoms and that stroke treatment beyond six hours after onset is futile. Using an imaging paradigm and novel software program, researchers were able to identify those stroke patients who continue to have salvageable brain tissue many hours after stroke onset. This ability to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from stroke therapies will greatly accelerate the development and testing of new therapeutic options. Hospitals are now changing their stroke protocols to offer a life-saving stroke therapy to many patients who arrive after the standard six-hour treatment window has elapsed.

The NINDS funded study was planned and executed through the joint efforts of the Stanford Departments of Neurology and Radiology.  It was led by Dr. Gregory Albers, Professor of Neurology at Stanford, who was the Principal Investigator. Dr. Michael P. Marks, MD, Professor of Radiology at Stanford, served as the Co-Principal Investigator.

Congratulations to the DEFUSE 3 Investigators!