UHNM recognised as a top patient recruiter in ‘groundbreaking’ national stroke trials

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) has been recognised as a top patient recruiter in two major national clinical trials. 

Almost 300 stroke patients from UHNM were recruited onto the ATTEST 2 and OPTIMAS trials between 2017 and 2024 by the Trust’s Research and Innovation teams, with the ‘groundbreaking’ results published in the Lancet and presented at the World Stroke Congress 2024.

The ATTEST 2 trial investigated the effectiveness of new clot-busting medication, whilst the OPTIMAS trial looked into how starting blood-thinning treatment earlier can improve patient outcomes for some patients. 

Dr Mohammed Shoaib, associate principal investigator, said: “These were landmark trials to identify significant gaps in knowledge within stroke medicine that will change practice internationally. 

“The OPTIMAS trial found that it’s safe and effective to give blood thinning treatments to atrial fibrillation (AF) stroke patients, those with a heart rhythm disturbance, within four days of them having a stroke, rather than waiting for up to 14 days as has previously been recommended due to a lack of evidence about when is best to start taking them after a stroke.

“There has been uncertainly for several years over the optimal time to start anticoagulants in people with a stroke and AF. Doctors recommended waiting up to two weeks in fear that further treatment might cause bleeding onto the brain. But during this time, patients remain at risk of another stroke due to a further blood clot from the heart. The OPTIMAS trial showed that starting an anticoagulant early does not increase the risk of bleeding into the brain, even in patients with more severe strokes.

“ATTEST 2 investigated the effectiveness of tenecteplase, a new clot-busting drug which is easier to give to patients than alteplase, the drug currently given to patients who suffer from an ischaemic stroke. Tenecteplase can be given as a single injection immediately rather than a one-hour infusion. This has several practical advantages for the patient, for example being able to have the drug administered on an ambulance or not having to be moved between hospitals for thrombectomy treatment. 

“The results of these trials are massive achievement and a testament to the hard work and dedication of the fantastic research and innovation teams at UHNM, who continued to recruit onto these trials throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.” 

Resti Varquez, senior research practitioner at UHNM, said: “It’s brilliant that the results of these trials are now available for the benefit of stroke patients, speeding up recovery time which is vital.

“The biggest challenge was during Covid, with staffing pressures along with the risk of infection from patients presenting in UHNM’s emergency department in need of potentially life-saving treatment.

“But we did what we had to do for the sake of our patients, and I’m very proud of the team. Everybody involved was doing their part, and the team wishes to extend our thanks to Professor Christine Roffe and Dr Philip Ferdinand, Consultant Stroke Physicians for their support in enrolling eligible patients.”