UHNM stroke research recognised on international podcast

The work of University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust’s (UHNM) clinical teams and research and innovation (R&I) department has received praise on an international clinical podcast.

Dr Phil Ferdinand, Consultant Stroke Physician was a guest on the American Academy of Neurology’s Neurology Journal Podcast where he discussed the findings of the Searching for Explanations for Cryptogenic Stroke in the Young: Revealing the Etiology, Triggers, and Outcome SECRETO trial.

The international trial led by Dr Phil Ferdinand, Consultant Stroke Physician, the wider Stroke Team, R&I research practitioners and other support service departments, investigated the link between smoking and early-onset cryptogenic ischemic stroke.

Dr Ferdinand said: “UHNM was chosen to participate in this multi-centre prospective observational study designed to collect a comprehensive data on transient triggers, subclinical and clinical risk factors, family history, genetic profile, imaging features, medication, and long-term prognosis in young adults with first-ever ischemic stroke due to unknown cause after standardized and timely investigations.

“The study has involved stroke, pathology, radiology, cardiology and research teams to perform rapid assessments to check eligibility for enrolment and it is true testimony to this collaboration that UHNM has been able to take part. Subjects without history of stroke were matched by age and gender and recruited at study sites in a one-on-one fashion to allow case-control investigation of risk factors. As well as taking part in the main study UHNM has also taken part in the SECRETO Family Study aiming to identify novel genes that explain cerebrovascular disease in families.

“I wanted to thank the association for the opportunity to come and present this study and am looking to where this study takes us in the future.”

You can listen to the podcast here, or search Neurology Journal Podcast in your podcast provider.