Rapid Assay Diagnostic for Acute stroke Recognition (RADAR)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Rapid Assay Diagnostic for Acute stroke Recognition (RADAR)
IRAS ID
323968
Contact name
Chris Price
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN12414986
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
For some people who have a serious type of stroke called ‘large vessel occlusion stroke (LVO)’, an emergency operation is needed to remove a blood clot blocking an artery in the brain. The faster the operation is received, the better the chances of recovery. However, this operation is very specialised and only available in certain regional hospitals.
Currently there are no specific tests that can be used by ambulance staff to help make a confident diagnosis of stroke or to tell which type of stroke may be happening. Consequently, patients with LVO stroke suitable for the emergency operation typically have to be transferred to a specialised regional hospital after tests (brain scans) which confirm this diagnosis at their local hospital. This results in delays before the emergency operation can be received and less chance of recovery.
This research project is evaluating whether a new portable fingerprick blood test can accurately diagnose a LVO stroke. The fingerprick test measures two blood chemicals called ‘d-dimer’ and ‘GFAP’ and earlier research suggests that together these two chemicals may indicate a LVO stroke. The study will take place in hospitals and approximately 550 patients with stroke symptoms will undergo the new fingerpick test in addition to all routine tests which would be conducted to investigate a possible stroke. The new test result and information from routine tests will be collected and researchers will compare the results to determine whether the new test accurately indicates a LVO stroke.
If the new fingerprick blood test works well, in the future it could be used in ambulances to determine which patients to take directly for urgent assessment at specialised regional hospitals
The study will run for 12 months at 4 large hospitals. Funding is from the Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/NE/0043
Date of REC Opinion
23 Mar 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion