PRISM
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Purines for Rapid Identification of Stroke Mimics (PRISM): a diagnostic accuracy study
IRAS ID
249866
Contact name
Christopher Price
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, months, days
Research summary
Currently, without specialist hospital assessments and tests, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a stroke and some other illness that have symptoms like stroke. These other illness are called ‘stroke mimic’ conditions and can include some infections and migraine. The treatments for a stroke and a ‘stroke mimic’ condition are very different. This can be treatment in different hospital departments or even in completely different hospitals. Because it can be difficult to tell the difference between stroke and stroke mimic conditions, ambulance staff sometimes take people to a less appropriate location initially. This means that some patients have to be transferred between hospital departments or to a second hospital after initial assessments have been conducted at the first hospital a person was taken to. This can result in delays to emergency treatment for patients suffering both types of illness.
This research project is evaluating a quick and easy new finger prick blood test which may rapidly tell the difference between a stroke and a stroke mimic condition. The test is small and portable and being used in ambulances.
The project aims to recruit nearly 1000 patients with stroke like symptoms who will undergo the new test in the ambulance. The results of the new test will be compared with routine hospital tests to determine if this new test is useful. The new test will not influence patient care as during this scientific evaluation the results are only given to researchers.
If this research shows that the new test works, in the future it could be used as part of routine ambulance assessments to enable staff to make a distinction between stroke and stroke mimic conditions. Patients could be transported immediately to the most appropriate location for care.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NE/0307
Date of REC Opinion
24 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion