Endovascular Treatment or Standard Medical Care for Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis(ESCORT)

Plain-language summary

Background: It has not been extensively studied in differing populations that endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute and subacute CVST with multimodal imaging selection improves the functional outcome better than standard medical care based on the guidelines. Published experience with endovascular treatment is promising. However, its efficacy has not been confirmed and early selection criteria for EVT are unknown. Objective:The main objective of the Endovascular treatment or Standard medical Care for Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis (ESCORT) trial is to determine if EVT improves the functional outcome of acute and subacute CVST patients with multimodal imaging selection. Study Design:The ESCORT trial is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint trial. Study population: Patients are eligible if they have a radiologically criteria proven acute and subacute CVST, obvious symptoms of intracranial hypertension(lumbar puncture pressure≥250mmH2O). Intervention: Patients will be randomized to receive either EVT or standard medical care (therapeutic doses of heparin). EVT consists of local application of alteplase or urokinase within the thrombosed sinuses, balloon angioplasty, and/or mechanical thrombectomy. Glasgow coma score, NIH stroke scale, ophthalmologic examination, Headache Impact Test-6(HIT-6), EuroQol-5 dimension-5 level(EQ-5D-5L) scale score, multimodal imaging and relevant laboratory parameters will be assessed at baseline. Endpoints: The primary endpoint is the proportion with good prognosis at 3 months (definition: a. mRS≤1; b. headache score (\<50, HIT-6); c. Frisén=0 grade for papilledema; d. defect of field vision PMD\>-2dB). Secondary outcomes are three-months mRS, HIT-6,Frisén grade for papilledema, situation of EQ-5D-5L, mortality and recanalization rate. Major intracranial and extracranial hemorrhagic complications within one-week after the intervention are the principal safety outcomes. Results will be analyzed according to the'intention-to-treat' principle. Blinded assessors not involved in the treatment of the patient will assess endpoints with standardized questionnaires. Study size: To detect a 20% relative increase of good prognosis (from 65 to 85%), 224 patients (112 in each treatment arm) have to be included (two-sided alpha, 80% power). Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: Included patients may benefit directly from EVT. Complications of EVT, most notably intracranial hemorrhages, constitute the most important risk of the study.

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