Clinical Research Directory

A Pivotal Investigational Device Exemption Study on Laminar Left Atrial Appendage Elimination

The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and effectiveness of Laminar Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) device as compared to the commercially available LAAC devices in participants with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) to reduce the risk of stroke (blocked blood vessel or bleeding in brain) and systemic embolism (blockage in a blood vessel harming vital organs).

SWITCH: Apixaban vs Vitamin K in HM3

This study is being done to learn the safety and efficacy of a new anticoagulant therapy with apixaban as compared to warfarin to prevent thrombotic events while protecting from bleeding complications in patients with advanced heart failure who are chronically supported by a HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist Device for 3 months.

Validating a Medical AI Fine-Tuning Platform for Major Diseases

The goal of this observational study is to leverage the abundant patient resources and standardized medical records from Beijing Friendship Hospital, Xuanwu Hospital, and Beijing Anzhen Hospital, combined with the existing data and knowledge platform of guidelines, consensus, medical literature, and dialogue data from Beijing Haitian Ruisheng Science Technology Co.,Ltd, with Beijing Zhilan Medical Technology Co., Ltd. conducting the fine-tuning, optimization, and validation of the medical large language model. The model is fine-tuned according to the consultation and diagnostic needs of different departments to improve the quality and efficiency of hospital medical services, enhance intelligence, and elevate the level of medical care. Through deployment to hospitals at all levels, it aims to achieve standardized services and support graded diagnosis and treatment. The overall research includes medical big data construction, medical knowledge graph construction, medical large model training and fine-tuning, and large model application platform development and deployment.

Influence of Brain Oscillation-Dependent TMS on Motor Function

Background: When people have a stroke, they often have difficulty moving their arms and hands. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can improve how well people with and without stroke can move their arms and hands. But the effects of TMS are minor, and it doesn t work for everyone. Researchers want to study how to time brain stimulation so that the effects are more consistent. Objective: To understand how the brain responds to transcranial magnetic stimulation so that treatments for people with stroke can be improved. Eligibility: Adults ages 18 and older who had a stroke at least 6 months ago Healthy volunteers ages 50 and older Design: Participants will have up to 5 visits. At visit 1, participants will be screened with medical history and physical exam. Participants with stroke will also have TMS and surface electromyography (sEMG). For TMS, a brief electrical current will pass through a wire coil on the scalp. Participants may hear a click and feel a pull. Muscles may twitch. Participants may be asked to do simple movements during TMS. For sEMG, small electrodes will be attached to the skin and muscle activity will be recorded. At visit 2, participants will have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They will lie on a table that slides into a metal cylinder in a strong magnetic field. They will get earplugs for the loud noise. At visit 3, participants will have TMS, sEMG, and electroencephalography (EEG). For EEG, small electrodes on the scalp will record brainwaves. Participants will sit still, watch a movie, or do TMS. Participants may be asked to have 2 extra visits to redo procedures.

Screening for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and Cognitive Function in Individuals With History of Stroke

Background: Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. It is also a leading cause of disability. More than 70% of people who survive strokes have mental impairment or dementia. Medical factors, such as the severity of the stroke, affect whether a person will have mental impairment afterward. But social factors, such as education and ethnicity, seem to play a role as well. Researchers want to learn more about how social and lifestyle factors affect a person s chances of maintaining mental functions after a stroke. Objective: To better understand how social and lifestyle factors affect the risk of mental impairment after a stroke. Eligibility: People aged 18 years and older who had a stroke and a brain scan while they were enrolled in NIH Study 01N0007 (Natural History of Stroke Study). Design: Participants will have 1 study visit, by telephone. The call will last about 45 minutes. Participants will talk about their health since their stroke. They will answer questions about themselves. Topics will include: * Their race * Education * Ethnicity * Employment * Marital status * Residence address * Recent health history * Medical insurance They will have tests of their memory, attention, and language skills. They will repeat numbers and words forward and backward. Researchers will look at the data and imaging scans collected during participant s enrollment in NIH Study 01N0007. This data will include: * The hospital that first saw the participant at the time of their stroke. * The type of imaging that was first used then. * The primary diagnosis at admission. * Other medical details.

Comparison of Anti-coagulation and Anti-Platelet Therapies for Intracranial Vascular Atherostenosis

The primary goal of the trial is to determine if the experimental arms (rivaroxaban or ticagrelor or both) are superior to the clopidogrel arm for lowering the 1-year rate of ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or vascular death.

Telerehabilitation for Post-Stroke Hand Function

This pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of a home-based, technology-enabled hand telerehabilitation program for adults with chronic stroke. Participants will receive either remotely guided hand training or a standard home exercise program matched for duration and intensity. Outcomes will include measures of hand function, adherence, and feasibility to assess the potential of telerehabilitation for improving access to structured post-stroke hand rehabilitation.

Application of Digital Twins' Technology in Patients Who Had a Stroke, With Moyamoya Disease and With Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA) During the Secondary Prevention Phase: A Proof of Concept Using a Randomized Control Trial (Clinical Study 6, STRATIF-AI Project)

The goal of this clinical trial is to obtain initial feedback on the implementation of the STRATIF-AI platform and digital twin in the secondary prevention phase in patients with stroke, Moyamoya disease and Cerebral amyloid angiopathy, including adults of both sexes. The main questions it aims to answer is: how is the patients' experience regarding the use of the STRATIF-AI platform? Researchers will compare Arm 1, who use the STRATIF-AI app in addition to standard secondary prevention, against Arm 2, who receive standard secondary prevention only, to collect feedback regarding the platform usability. Participants in the Arm 1 will: * Complete cognitive and psychological assessments at the time of the first visit and after six months * Follow the indications received from the clinician for standard secondary prevention * Use the STRATIF-AI app daily for health management * Optionally, purchase wearable devices that connect to the app. * Participate in interviews at the six-month mark to share their experiences with the app. Patients in the Arm 2 will: * Complete cognitive and psychological assessments at the time of the first visit and after six months * Follow the indications received from the clinician for standard secondary prevention

Endovascular Treatment for Acute Large Vessel Occlusion With Ultra-Large Ischemic Core

an investigator initiated, prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint trial (PROBE)

The Use of Photobiomodulation in the Treatment of Spasticity After Stroke.

Stroke is a non-progressive and permanent syndrome in adults, with approximately 60% of patients presenting with spastic hemiparesis. Spasticity leads to changes in the physiological pattern of muscle tissue contraction and hemodynamics, and, when left untreated, negatively impacts functionality. Photobiomodulation (PBM) has demonstrated positive effects on tissue regeneration, muscle relaxation, reduction of inflammation, fatigue, and pain relief in various muscular and neurological disorders. Methods: This blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the effects of PBM on triceps surae muscle spasticity in adults with stroke. Forty-two participants with spastic hemiparesis post-stroke will be randomized into two groups: active PBM (850 nm, 200 mW, 4 J/point in the gastrocnemius, 12 points, weekly for 8 weeks) or placebo PBM (same protocol, device switched off). Both groups will receive the institute's standard rehabilitation treatment. Outcomes will be assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), ankle range of motion, presence of pain, amount of antispastic medication in use, contraction strength (by manual examination) muscle oxygenation (by transcutaneous near-infrared spectroscopy), functionality, and the occurrence of adverse events before and after the intervention. At the end of recruitment, comparisons between groups and between time points will be performed and statistically analyzed using a two-way repeated means ANOVA test and the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) test. We also foresee a pilot interim analysis when recruitment reaches a size of 10 participants per group. This interim analysis will be performed using a two-way/means ANOVA to assess effect size and recalculate sample size, making adjustments to the design if necessary.

Cognitive-Motor Incorporated Training and Its Relations in Cerebrovascular Diseases With Cognitive and Motor Impairments

The following three-part proposal will explore the impact of applying motor-cognitive incorporated training (MCIT) in individuals with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) or Moyamoya disease (MMD), and examine the relationship between cognitive and motor impairments and brain activation patterns in these populations. Part I is a cross-sectional study designed to characterize cognitive and motor performance and their relationship with brain activation patterns in individuals with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) or Moyamoya disease (MMD), compared to age-matched healthy controls. Thirty participants will be screened for eligibility and recruited for each group (90 participants total). After collecting basic data, all participants will undergo cognitive and motor function tests. Cognitive function tests include tests of global cognition, and executive function. Motor function tests include tests of sensorimotor function, single and dual task standing, muscle strength, and ambulation ability. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) will be used to evaluate the brain activation during the cognitive tests, and single and dual task standing. Results from all tests will be used to determine the motor, cognitive, and other functional performance, and will be used in the design of the training program in Part II and III. Part II and III are single-blinded randomized controlled trials that will explore the short and long-term effects of a motor-cognitive incorporated training (MCIT) on motor, and cognitive function in individuals with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) or Moyamoya disease (MMD). 60 individuals with PSCI (Part II), and 60 individuals with MMD (Part III) will be recruited. After screening for eligibility and collection of demographic data, participants will undergo a pretest assessment. In addition to the motor and cognitive tests used in Part I, stroke location, and time of onset will also be collected for each participant. Brain activation will be assessed during the cognitive tests, single and dual task standing assessments using fNIRS. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of the two groups (MCIT group and active control group) (n=30 in each group) via a sealed envelope selected by a blinded assistant. The training protocol is 30 minutes per session, 3 sessions per week for a total of 4 weeks. The control group will receive motor training only, including upper and lower extremity exercises, bed mobility, strengthening (core and extremities), and balance training, progressing from static to dynamic tasks. The MCIT group will engage in the program combines motor and cognitive training that starts with attention and short-term memory tasks, advancing to working memory and inhibitory control with increasing difficulty. A post-test will be conducted after the 4-week intervention, followed by follow-up assessments at 1, 3, and 12 months for individuals with PSCI or MMD in both the control group and the MCIT group. At the 3-month follow-up, participants who are unable to attend in person will be contacted by telephone. At the 12-month follow-up, all participants will receive a telephone interview focused on return-to-work status.

Home-Based Functional Electrical Stimulation for Lower Limb Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients.

This assessor-blinded, randomized, parallel-group feasibility trial will evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a home-based Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) system for lower-limb rehabilitation in adults recovering from stroke. The study will be conducted at two sites within the INSTRUCT Network in India. Adults aged 18 years or older who are 1 month to 1 year post-stroke and have mild to moderate lower-limb weakness will be eligible to participate. A total of 70 participants will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either a home-based FES intervention group or a control group receiving standard rehabilitation. Participants in the FES group will receive training on safe and independent use of the FES device before commencing home treatment. FES will be delivered to selected lower-limb muscles, including the quadriceps, tibialis anterior, and hamstrings, for 30 minutes per session, 5 sessions per week, for 12 weeks. The intervention will be supported by a smartphone-based telerehabilitation platform that will provide remote clinician support, training, adherence monitoring, and troubleshooting. The FES system is being developed with IoT-enabled monitoring and ECG-based heart-rate safety monitoring to facilitate safe home use. Participants in the control group will receive standard outpatient care and home-based rehabilitation without FES. Both groups will receive equivalent remote clinician contact and education. The primary purpose of the study is to determine the feasibility of home-based FES, including recruitment, retention, adherence to prescribed treatment sessions, safety, and participants' ability to independently operate the device at home. Secondary evaluation will assess preliminary changes in functional walking ability using the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. The study is intended to generate feasibility and preliminary effectiveness data to inform the design of a future, adequately powered randomized controlled trial and to assess the potential for wider implementation of home-based FES rehabilitation for people recovering from stroke.

Ventilatory Parameters in Acute Neurological Injury

The goal of this observational study is to test the association between baseline ventilatory parameters (in particular mechanical power (MP), mechanical power normalized to predicted body weight (MP/PBW) and driving pressure (DP) with the baseline neurological status (assessed through the Glasgow coma score) in adults patients under mechanical ventilation with acute neurological injury secondary to stroke, brain trauma or subarachnoid hemorrhage. The main question\[s\]it aims to answer are: 1. In patients with acute neurological injury under mechanical ventilation, is there a correlation between the acute neurological injury, assessed using the Glasgow scale on admission, and baseline ventilatory parameters? 2. In patients with acute neurological injury under mechanical ventilation, are the baseline ventilatory parameters altered at baseline?

Just In Time Intervention to Enhance Physical Activity Among Stroke Survivors

A 3-month single-arm pilot trial to evaluate the feasibility of an automated and individualized coping intervention among stroke survivors.

Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Stimulation in Stroke Patients - Parameter Optimization

The goal of this research study is to optimize the parameter of Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Stimulation (LIFUS) that is most effective in changing cortical excitability and motor learning skills in patients who suffered a stroke. The researchers hope to answer two questions. * with increasing power, would LIFUS be more effective? * with the same power, what LIFUS timing is the best For Aim 1, the study will compare 8, 4 W/cm\^2 to a zero(sham) stimulation to see if higher power is the better. For Aim 2, the study will compare 500 vs 1000 vs 2000 Hz "timing" to see which one is better.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Patients With Hemiplegic Stroke

Stroke is one of the major causes of death in the World. Many stroke survivors may suffer from long-term sequelae of stroke such as hemiplegia. The effects of rehabilitation therapy are limited. The development of new treatment strategies is essential. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive method to stimulate the focal area of the brain for restoring brain function. The aim of this study is to investigate the therapeutic effect of rTMS on the motor recovery in patients with hemiplegic stroke.

APEX-STROKE EAGLE Domain (EAGLE)

In this domain of APEX-STROKE, participants with acute spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) who meet the domain-specific eligibility criteria will be randomised to either an early surgical bundle or guideline-based standard care. Intervention: Early minimally invasive surgery (MIS) shall be initiated within 8 hours of symptom onset; intensive systolic blood pressure control (target range: 130-140 mmHg) shall be achieved within 1 hour post-randomization and maintained for 72 hours post-randomization; tranexamic acid (TXA) hemostatic therapy: A 1-g loading dose shall be intravenously infused over 10 minutes, followed by an 8-hour continuous intravenous infusion of a 1-g maintenance dose; the entire regimen must be initiated within 30 minutes post-randomization. Control condition: All patient management shall strictly adhere to local institutional guidelines for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) diagnosis and treatment; MIS is recommended to be prohibited within 12 hours of symptom onset (except for emergency life-saving surgery); blood pressure management shall be conducted in accordance with local guidelines; the use of TXA is not recommended.

Augmenting a Post-Stroke Wellness Program With Respiratory Muscle Training

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the hypothesis that combined Respiratory Muscle Training and a Stroke Wellness Program is more effective than a Stroke Wellness Program alone for stroke survivors with and without a smoking exposure history. Participants will participant in a Stroke Wellness Program consisting of strengthening, cardiovascular and flexibility training program plus respiratory exercise for 24 sessions (3x/week for 8 weeks). Researchers will compare outcomes to those randomized to a respiratory strengthening program compared to a relaxation training program to see if those who received respiratory strengthening had improved maximal respiratory pressure, improved physical activity and improved quality of life compared to those who received relaxation training.

Evaluating Different Protocols of Non-invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) in Stroke Rehabilitation

This study aims to improve brain stimulation techniques for stroke patients dealing with motor and language issues. Researchers believe that current practices lack clarity because patients aren't grouped effectively and stimulation methods vary widely. The study will include 250 participants from Alexandra Hospital and National University Hospital. Once someone is eligible and agrees to join, they'll first undergo a baseline assessment to evaluate their condition. After that, they'll receive non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) over the course of a month. Participants will be assigned to specific NIBS treatments-either transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)-based on their rehabilitation goals, medical history, and initial assessment results. Those needing to improve upper or lower limb movement, alleviate language difficulties (aphasia), or address neglect will receive tailored interventions: 20 sessions of tDCS or 12 sessions of rTMS. After the treatment, participants will be assessed again immediately and then six weeks later to measure any changes in their condition.

A Novel Rural Integrated Care and Early Prevention Model for Older Adults at High Risk of or Living With Stroke in China

This cluster randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a novel telemedicine-enabled integrated care model led by rural doctors in reducing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events among elderly adults (≥65 years) at high risk of stroke in rural China. A total of 39 village clinics will be randomized to either the intervention group (digital health platform-supported integrated care) or the control group (enhanced usual care). The primary outcome is a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, and hospitalization for heart failure or acute coronary syndrome at 36 months.

Effects of High-Frequency rTMS on Cortical Motor Mapping in Stroke Patients With Severe Upper Limb Impairment (MAP2024SJD)

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a single session of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can increase cortical motor activity in stroke patients with severe upper limb impairment. The main question it aims to answer is: Does one session of high-frequency rTMS increase the number of motor evoked potential (MEP)-positive points in the cortical motor map of the affected hemisphere compared to sham stimulation? Researchers will compare high-frequency rTMS (10 Hz, 600 pulses) applied over the affected motor cortex to sham stimulation to see if rTMS increases detectable cortical motor responses in patients who have little or no voluntary hand movement after stroke. Participants will: Undergo a cortical motor mapping assessment before the intervention. Receive either one session of real rTMS or sham stimulation, depending on their randomly assigned group. Undergo a second cortical motor mapping assessment immediately after the intervention.

YOGA-FIT: Protocol for a Crossover Trial Investigating the Feasibility and Impact of Yoga for People With Stroke

The primary objective of this mixed-methods pilot crossover study is to determine the feasibility (participant satisfaction, recruitment rate, participant and assessor burden, adherence, equipment and technology issues, and safety) of virtual and in-person LYB yoga for adult people with lived experience of stroke in Nova Scotia who are at least three months post stroke. The secondary objective is to estimate the efficacy of virtual and in-person yoga for improving balance, walking, mobility, mental health (anxiety and depression), and other health outcomes (pain, sleep, health perception, and falls). The tertiary objective is to estimate the extent to which cognitive function, fatigue, and health-related quality of life co-evolve with our secondary outcomes. Participants will engage in LYB Yoga virtual and in-person classes for 90 minutes each, twice per week, as well as one 60-minute recorded class completed on their own time.

APEX-STROKE CALM-ICH Domain

In this domain of APEX-STROKE, participants with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) who meet the eligibility criteria for this domain will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either Angong Niuhuang pills (ANP) or matching placebo, both in addition to guideline-based standard care. The matching placebo is the control condition and is not counted as a domain intervention. • Intervention: Angong Niuhuang pills (ANP) in addition to guideline-based standard care. ANP should be initiated as soon as possible after randomization in the ambulance or emergency department setting, with subsequent treatment continued for a total of 14 days according to the domain-specific intervention schedule. • Control condition: matching placebo in addition to guideline-based standard care.

rTMS Plus CCFES-mediated Functional Task Practice for Severe Stroke

This study is a necessary and important step in the development of a new therapy for upper limb functional recovery in patients with severe motor impairment. It is the first clinical trial of non-invasive brain stimulation (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or rTMS) delivered to excite the undamaged hemisphere (specifically the contralesional higher motor cortices or cHMC) in stroke. Therefore, this study will determine whether the positive results obtained in our short-term pilot study can be made to last longer and produce functional benefits in severe patients with the application of brain stimulation in combination with long-term rehabilitation therapy. Rehabilitation therapy administered is called contralaterally controlled functional electrical stimulation (CCFES). Determining whether combining rTMS facilitating the cHMC with CCFES produces synergistic gains in functional abilities in severe patients is necessary for acceptance by the clinical community and to move this technology toward commercialization and widespread dissemination. The proposed study will determine whether the combination of rTMS facilitating the cHMC with CCFES produces greater improvements in upper extremity function in severe participants who are ≥6 months from stroke onset than the combination of rTMS facilitating the damaged hemisphere (specifically the ipsilesional primary motor cortex, iM1) and CCFES or the combination of sham rTMS and CCFES. The secondary purposes are to define which patients benefit most from the treatments, which may inform future device and treatment development and clinical translation, and to explore what distinct effects the three treatments have on the brain. To accomplish these purposes, we are conducting a clinical trial that enrolls severe stroke patients.