Along with the current clinical trial, the efficacy and safety of 180 mg loading dose of ticagrelor administered within 24 hours of first-ever large-vessel ischemic stroke compared to 200 mg cilostazol were assessed through NIHSS, mRS, and possible adverse effects.
The investigators conducted a single-blinded randomized controlled trial between March 2024 and June 2025 after the ethics committee of the faculty of medicine at Kafr el-Sheik University approved it. The investigators got written informed consent from all eligible patients or their first order of kin before randomization. The study will be composed of 2 arms ticagrelor arm, which consisted of 290 patients who received a 180 mg loading dose followed by 90 mg b.i.d from the 2nd to the 90th day), and the cilostazol arm consisting of 290 patients who received (a 200 mg loading dose during the first 24 hours of stroke onset followed by 100 mg twice daily from the 2nd day to the 90th day), Study Procedures: Every patient in our study will undergo: clinical workup: History, clinical assessment \& NIHSS were recorded on admission, day 7, and the Modified Rankin Scale as a follow-up after one week and 3 months. Detection of Risk Factors \& Profiles: Echocardiography TTE : in indicated patients ECG Monitoring: daily ECG monitoring will be performed in indicated patients. 3- Carotid Duplex: carotid duplex in indicated patients. 4- ESR \& Lipid Profile\& liver functions: All will be tested routinely for all patients. Imaging Follow UP Non-contrast CT brain on admission Day 2 MRI: after 2 days of admission, all the patients in this study will have a brain MRI (stroke protocol; T1W, T2W, FLAIR, DWI, T2 Echo Gradient, MRA of all intra-cerebral vessels). CT brain: Any patient with unexplained clinical deterioration at any time throughout his/her hospital stay will be urgently imaged by CT. Primary End Point: The primary efficacy outcome was the rate of new stroke at 90 days, and the primary safety outcome was the rate of drug hemorrhagic complications using the PLATO bleeding definition. • Secondary End Point: The secondary efficacy outcomes were to evaluate the rates of patients who achieved a significant reduction in NIHSS (decrease of four points or more) at the seventh day or discharge compared to baseline, the rates of a favorable outcome with (mRS = 0-2) after one week and after 90 days in a face-to-face interview in the outpatient clinic, rates of a composite of recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction and death due to vascular events after 90 days of follow-up, while the secondary safety outcome was the rate of treatment-related adverse effects assessed by a follow-up questionnaire
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
580
Efficacy and safety of 180 mg loading dose of ticagrelor administered within 24 hours of first-ever ischemic stroke followed by 90 mg bid for 3 months will be assessed through NIHSS, mRS, duration of hospital stay, new ischemic stroke, and possible adverse effects.
Efficacy and safety of 200 mg clopidogrel followed by 100 mg twice daily for 3 months will be assessed through NIHSS, mRS, duration of hospital stay, new ischemic stroke, and possible adverse effects.
Kafr Elsheikh University Hospital
Kafr ash Shaykh, Egypt
RECRUITINGrate of new stroke
Rates of new stroke occur within three months of treatment. The investigators will perform follow-ups of the patient during visits to the outpatient clinic, and brain CT and/ or MRI will be done if there is suspicion of new stroke.
Time frame: 90 days
Rate of drug-related hemorrhagic complications
the rate of drug hemorrhagic complications which was evaluated using the PLATO bleeding definition which classified hemorrhagic complications into three types as follows: Major bleeding which had one or more of the following criteria: fatal bleeding, intracranial, intrapericardial, bleeding associated with reduction of hemoglobin \> 3-5 g/dl, bleeding required transfusion of two to four units whole blood or PRBCs, bleeding produced hypovolemic shock or severe hypotension that required pressor or surgery; Minor bleeding that required medical intervention to stop or treat bleeding: Minimal bleeding: any bleeding that did not require intervention or treatment such as bruising, bleeding gums, oozing from injection sites.
Time frame: 90 days
Value of National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) after one week
NIHSS is a tool used by healthcare providers to objectively quantify the impairment caused by a stroke and aid in planning post-acute care disposition. It ranges from 0 to 42; the lower the score, the better the stroke condition. The improvement will be counted only if there is a decrease in NIHSS score by four points or more within one week of stroke onset.
Time frame: 7 days
value of Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at one week
mRS Measures the degree of disability or dependence in the daily activities of people who have suffered a stroke or other causes of neurological disability its value ranges from 0 to 6; the lower the score, the better the stroke outcome favorable stroke outcome is considered with mRS value equals two or less
Time frame: 7 days
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value of Modified Rankin Scale(mRS) at three months
mRS Measures the degree of disability or dependence in the daily activities of people who have suffered a stroke or other causes of neurological disability; its value ranges from 0 to 6; the lower the score, the better the stroke outcome. A favorable stroke outcome is considered with mRS value equals two or less.
Time frame: 3 months
rate of composite recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, and death due to vascular events
rates of new stroke, TIA, myocardial infarction, or death from vascular events within three months of treatment the investigators will perform follow-ups of the patient during visits to the outpatient clinic and perform needed investigations such as brain imaging, Electrocardiography, arterial and venous duplex ultrasound imaging
Time frame: 3 months
rate of drug adverse effects
Drug adverse effects: all side effects related to the drugs of our study will be reported
Time frame: 90 days