Dabigatran Etexilate for Secondary Stroke Prevention in Patients With Embolic Stroke of Undetermi… (NCT02239120) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedPhase 3
Dabigatran Etexilate for Secondary Stroke Prevention in Patients With Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source (RE-SPECT ESUS)
United States, Argentina, Australia5,390 participantsStarted 2014-11-27
Plain-language summary
This trial will enroll approximately 6,000 patients with recent embolic stroke of unknown source (ESUS). Patients will be randomized to dabigatran or acetylsalicyclic acid (ASA) (1:1 ratio) and have visits every three months. The study doctor may prescribe blinded concomitant ASA for pts with coronary artery disease but this is not mandatory. All Adverse Events (AEs), Serious Adverse Events (SAEs), outcome events will be recorded. The trial will conclude when the required number of stroke events are positively adjudicated which is estimated to take 3 years (including 2.5 years of enrollment).
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years – 150 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria:
* Ischemic stroke with a brain lesion visualized by neuroimaging (either brain Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI)). The visualized stroke is a non-lacunar infarct , e.g. involving the cortex or \>1.5 cm (\>2.0 cm if measured on MRI diffusion-weighted images) in largest diameter if exclusively subcortical.Visualization by CT usually requires delayed imaging \>24-48 hours after stroke onset.
* The index stroke must have occurred either up to 3 months before randomization (Modified Rankin Scale(mRS) \<=3 at randomization) or up to 6 months before randomization (mRS \<=3 at randomization) in selected patients that are \>= 60 years plus at least one additional risk factor for recurrent stroke.
* Arterial imaging or cervical plus Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography does not show extra-cranial or intracranial atherosclerosis with \>= 50% luminal stenosis in artery supplying the area of acute ischemia.
* As evidenced by cardiac monitoring for \>= 20 hours with automated rhythm detection, there is absence of AF \> 6 minutes in duration (within a 20 hour period, either as single episode or cumulative time of multiple episodes).
Further inclusion criteria apply.
Exclusion criteria:
* Modified Rankin Scale of \>=4 at time of randomization or inability to swallow medications.
* Major risk cardioembolic source of embolism such as: a) intracardiac thrombus as evidenced by transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography, b) paroxysmal,…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Adjudicated Recurrent Stroke
Timeframe: From randomisation until full follow up period, approximately 43 months.
2
First Major Bleed (Adjudicated)
Timeframe: Between the first trial medication intake up to 6 days after the last trial medication intake, approximately 42 months.