MR CLEAN, a ground-breaking study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has showed that intra-arterial treatment for acute ischaemic stroke patients improves patient outcomes.
The procedure consists of the effected blood vessel being re-opened quickly using a small stent to capture the clot and pull it out of the brain through a catheter. This results in less brain damage, fewer neurological problems and a greater quality of life. The effects of a stroke are wide-reaching and can result in severe disability, such as speech problems and paralysis.
MR CLEAN (Multicenter Randomised Clinical trial of Endovascular treatment for Acute ischaemic stroke in the Netherlands) is an independent comparative effectiveness trial, conducted in the Netherlands from December 2010 through March 2014. The trial, which was a prospective, randomised clinical trial of 500 patients showed an overall shift toward more positive outcomes in patients who received interventional treatment. Among these patients, who would have otherwise been left severely disabled, more who received intra-arterial treatment were returned to functional independence.
Commenting on the research, UK-based specialist, Dr. Sanjeev Nayak, University Hospitals of North Staffordshire NHS Trust, has said: “The positive results are welcomed news. It is now very clear that new generation devices, better patient selection and timely intervention will lead to better patient outcomes. As a neurointerventionalist who has treated hundreds of stroke patients, I have personally seen how endovascular treatment can change the course of a patient’s life. Most acute ischaemic stroke patients face a high likelihood of long-term disability without intra-arterial treatment. With clinical evidence now in hand proving the benefits of intervention, we can work with healthcare providers throughout the chain of care to make endovascular treatment available to a dramatically larger group of stroke patients.
“At our own institution we have shown significant cost saving benefits to both the hospital and social care as a result of improved clinical outcomes and costs savings due to disability prevention.”
