Liraglutide after Acute Stroke Trial (LAST).

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The role of GLP-1 analogues in reducing reperfusion injury after acute stroke in patients with impaired swallowing.

• IRAS ID

  81669

• Contact name

  David Strain

• Eudract number

  2011-003572-36

• Research summary

  Stroke is the biggest cause of disability in the Western World, however treatments to reduce the immediate effects of stroke have met with limited success. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is produced by the gut in response to gastric stimulation. It is partly responsible for stimulating the production of insulin to help deal with the sugar in a meal, but it also regulates the blood vessels of the heart, muscles and brain by acting on specific receptors. In animal models, artificially increasing levels of GLP-1 reduces the size of a stroke even when it is given after the stroke. In humans, however, this has never been tried, indeed after a serious stroke, because of weakness of the face and throat, patients are often put ??Nil by Mouth?, to protect the airway, meaning they do not receive any food oflud by mouth. This will actually decrease the levels of naturally occurring GLP-1. We plan to give a synthetic form of GLP-1 (Liraglutide) that is already available and licensed for use in patients with diabetes in the UK, to patients who have had an acute stroke and are put ??nil by mouth?, in order to determine whether increased levels protect the brain during its recovery, resulting in better recovery. As this form of GLP-1 is given by injection we will easily be able to give it to patients who have had a Stroke even if they have weakness of the face or throat. In the first instance, we will do this on a small number of participants (20 being treated with the active agent, 20 with standard care) to ensure the feasibility and safety of such a study. We will administer the drug as soon as possible after the stroke and for the subsequent 6 days. At the end of this period we will reassess participants in order to record their recovery (Using NIHSS scale) at day 7 and day 30, and we will perform a MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging) that will measure the amount of damage to the brain left after the stroke. We will also assess microvascular function on day 1 of the treatment and repeat it on day 7 to determine the effect of Liraglutide on microvascular function and whether this have a detrimental effect on recovery from stroke.

• REC name

  South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  11/SW/0262

• Date of REC Opinion

  5 Dec 2011

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion