Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

Coronary and Cerebral Microvascular Dysfunction in Neurological Diseases

Germany100 participantsStarted 2025-06

Plain-language summary

Neurological and cardiovascular diseases are increasing in relative and absolute terms globally, and pose a major burden in terms of morbidity, mortality, quality of life and healthcare costs. Increasing evidence has been found that disorders of blood circulation in the smallest vessels of the heart and the brain share similar risk factors as well as mechanisms but evidence about the potential link between both remains scarce. Therefore, this study wants to investigate whether in patients with acute first-time stroke, first-time generalized epileptic seizure or first-time transient global amnesia, impairment in microcirculation is found in the brain and in the heart within 72 hours after the onset of first symptoms. We also intend to examine differences in structural brain as well as cardiac health parameters and in blood biomarkers between patients with acute neurological diseases and healthy controls matched for age, sex and major cardiovascular risk factors like diabetes, smoking and high blood pressure. In addition, we will characterize the cohorts in terms of cognitive function and questionnaires on lifestyle and self-reported emotional functioning. We expect lower circulation in the smallest blood vessels in the brain and in the heart in patients with acute neurological diseases compared to healthy controls. This pilot project is intended to demonstrate feasibility and initial results and thus serve as the basis for a larger clinical trial to improve long-term cerebral and cardiac health in patients with acute neurological diseases

Who can participate

Age range45 Years

SexALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Men and women, minimum age: 45 years * Gave informed consent * Specifically for patient group: Admission to hospital due to an acute neurological event due to acute first-time stroke (ischemic or hemorrhage; mild to moderate in severity based on The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale \[NIHSS\], score \<15) and able to provide informed consent (e.g., no or only mild aphasia; no impairment of consciousness), first-time generalized epileptic seizure (with focal or generalized onset), or transient global amnesia Exclusion Criteria: * History of stroke or any type of seizure * Neurodegenerative neurological disorders including dementia, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis * Acute myocardial infarction requiring revascularization * Severe and untreated medical conditions, including advanced-stage malignant tumors and cardiac diseases resulting in cardiogenic shock or acute heart failure * Severe infections (C-Reactive Protein \[CRP\] \> 50 mg/dL) * History of severe alcoholism or use of drugs * Severe psychiatric disorders such as moderate to severe depression (if not in remission) or psychosis * Contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging or renal dysfunction with eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) \< 30 ml/min/1.73 m2, which would not allow the administration of the contrast agent gadolinium

What they're measuring

Microvascular function in the brain and heart

Timeframe: at Baseline

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07009990

SponsorUniversity Medicine Greifswald

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2027-06

Contact for this trial

Agnes Flöel, Prof. Dr. med.

+49 (0)3834 86-6815 agnes.floeel@med.uni-greifswald.de