The Third International Stroke Trial (IST-3) [ 2007 - 2009 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Richard Lindley (Principal investigator) ,  A/Pr Peter Hand ,  Dr Stephen Read ,  Prof Christian Lueck ,  Prof Christopher Levi
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Brief description Thrombolysis is a method of dissolving the blood clot that is the cause of the majority of strokes in Australia. The first major trial to demonstrate benefit for this treatment was published some 11 years ago but treatment has not been widely implemented across Australia because of the difficulties in giving treatment within the very tight time window for which treatment is currently approved (patients must get to hospital, be scanned and start treatment within 3 hours of the onset of the stroke). Other factors which have limited implementation of treatment in Australia are continued debate over the trial data for this treatment as only one of the 5 major trials was positive. In addition, virtually no patients aged over 80 years old were included in the previous trials, and as this age group represents about a third of all stroke in Australia, new data in this age group is required. As a result of the difficulty in giving a treatment within such a tight time window and the ongoing debate about the trial data, few Australians are currently treated and thus the public health impact is negligible. In to change clinical practice, we need reliable data from a large convincing further trial of thrombolysis with the more realistic time window of 6 hours. The Third International Stroke Trial (IST-3) is a large international collaborative effort to determine whether thrombolysis treatment offered to a wider range of patients up to 6 hours from stroke onset results in an increase in long-term independent survival. Data from such a trial is most likely to change clinical practice and lead to an important public health benefit.

Funding Amount $AUD 218,656.79

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant