Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: IV vs. IA tPA (Activase) in Acute Ischemic Stroke With CTA Evidence of Major Vessel Occlusion
Brief Summary: Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for 158,488 deaths in 1998 (American Heart Association). Nationwide, each year, an estimated 600,000 to 750,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke. Cerebral infarction comprises 80% of all strokes and is the result of a complex series of cellular metabolic events that occur rapidly after interruption of blood flow to a region of the brain. The extent of the brain damage is dependent on the duration and severity of the cerebral ischemia. Acute thrombus formation or migration is the principal cause of blood flow interruption in at least 75% of cerebral infarctions. In several animal models of focal cerebral ischemia, restoration of cerebral blood flow within two to six hours after initial occlusion has been associated with smaller volumes of cerebral infarction and improved functional outcome. An effective way of dissolving the thrombus is by administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator or Activase (Alteplase, rt-PA), which promotes the proteolytic action of plasmin from plasminogen at the site of a clot. In this study, the drug, Activase, will be administered in subjects with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) intravenously (IV) or by local intra-arterial (IA) injection. The use of the intravenous administration within 3 hours of stroke symptom onset is FDA approved whereas the intra-arterial administration, despite evidence of potential benefit, is not currently FDA approved. Although not FDA approved, this study will evaluate the effectiveness of IA thrombolysis with Activase, used in AIS because of its higher rate of recanalization , potential expansion of the time window out to 6 hours, and lower doses of thrombolytic agent used compared with systemic or intravenous Activase. The study is designed to test the feasibility and provide preliminary safety data regarding the relative benefits and risks of IA Activase as compared to IV Activase when administered per the NINDS rt-PA stroke study protocol, i.e. randomized within 3 hours of onset of symptoms of ischemic stroke then treated within 3 hours in the IV Activase arm and within 4 hours in the IA Activase arm.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients presenting with anterior circulation acute ischaemic stroke eligible using standard criteria to receive IV tPA within 4.5 hours of stroke onset
2. Patient, family member or legally responsible person depending on local ethics requirements has given informed consent
3. Patient"s age is ≥18 years
4. Intra-arterial clot retrieval treatment can commence (groin puncture) within 6 hours of stroke onset.

   Imaging inclusion criteria

   Dual target:
5. Arterial occlusion on CTA or MRA of the ICA, M1 or M2
6. Mismatch - Using CT or MRI with a Tmax \>6 second delay perfusion volume and either CT-rCBF or DWI infarct core volume. a) Mismatch ratio of greater than 1.2, and b) Absolute mismatch volume of greater than 10 ml, and. c) Infarct core lesion volume of less than 70mL

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Intracranial haemorrhage (ICH) identified by CT or MRI
2. Rapidly improving symptoms at the discretion of the investigator
3. Pre-stroke mRS score of ≥ 2 (indicating previous disability)
4. Inability to access the cerebral vasculature in the opinion of the neurointerventional team
5. Contra indication to imaging with MR with contrast agents
6. Participation in any investigational study in the previous 30 days
7. Any terminal illness such that patient would not be expected to survive more than 1 year
8. Any condition that, in the judgment of the investigator could impose hazards to the patient if study therapy is initiated or affect the participation of the patient in the study.
9. Pregnant women
10. Previous stroke within last three months
11. Recent past history or clinical presentation of ICH, subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), arterio-venous (AV) malformation, aneurysm, or cerebral neoplasm. At the discretion of each Investigator.
12. Current use of oral anticoagulants and a prolonged prothrombin time (INR \> 1.6)
13. Use of heparin, except for low dose subcutaneous heparin, in the previous 48 hours and a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time exceeding the upper limit of the local laboratory normal range.
14. Use of glycoprotein IIb - IIIa inhibitors within the past 72 hours. Prior use of single or dual agent oral platelet inhibitors (clopidogrel and/or low-dose aspirin) is permitted.
15. Clinically significant hypoglycaemia.
16. Uncontrolled hypertension defined by a blood pressure \> 185 mmHg systolic or \>110 mmHg diastolic on at least 2 separate occasions at least 10 minutes apart, or requiring aggressive treatment to reduce the blood pressure to within these limits. The definition of "aggressive treatment" is left to the discretion of the responsible Investigator.
17. Hereditary or acquired haemorrhagic diathesis
18. Gastrointestinal or urinary bleeding within the preceding 21 days
19. Major surgery within the preceding 14 days which poses risk in the opinion of the investigator.
20. Exposure to a thrombolytic agent within the previous 72 hrs
B: Inclusion Criteria:Subjects will be eligible if the following criteria are met:

* Ability to provide written informed consent and comply with study assessments for the full duration of the study.
* Age \> 18 years
* NIHSS ≥ 4 or isolated aphasia or isolated hemianopsia

Exclusion Criteria:

* NIHSS \>30
* Coma
* Rapidly improving symptoms
* History of stroke in the last 6 weeks
* Seizure at onset
* Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (SAH ) or suspected SAH
* Any history of Intracrannial Hemorrhage (ICH)
* Neoplasm
* Septic embolism
* Surgery, biopsy, trauma or LP in last 30 days
* Head trauma in the last 90 days
* Bleeding diathesis, or INR \>1.7 or PTT \>1.5 times baseline or platelet \<100K
* SBP \>180 or DBP ≥100 despite treatment with 3 doses of IV Labetalol (10-20 mg Q10")
* Lacunar stroke syndrome
* CT: Hemorrhage, tumor (except small meningioma), significant mass effect, midline shift, acute hypodensity or \>1/3 MCA territory sulcal effacement
* Radiological contrast hypersensitivity
* Angiographic: Dissection, lack of access, lack of occlusion, or nonatherosclerotic arteriopathy
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Female or male inpatients
* Age: 18 - 80 years.
* Clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke causing a measurable neurological deficit defined as impairment of language, motor function, cognition and/or gaze, vision or neglect. Ischemic stroke is defined as an event characterized by the sudden onset of an acute focal neurologic deficit presumed to be due to cerebral ischemia after CT scan excludes hemorrhage.
* Onset of symptoms between 3 and 4 hours prior to initiation of administration of study drug.
* Stroke symptoms are to be present for at least 30 minutes and have not significantly improved before treatment. Symptoms must be distinguishable from an episode of generalized ischemia (i.e. syncope), seizure, or migraine disorder.
* Patient is willing to participate voluntarily and to sign a written patient informed consent. Informed consent will be obtained from each patient or the subject's legally authorized representative or relatives, or deferred where applicable, according to the regulatory and legal requirements of the participating country.
* Patients who are unable to sign but who are able to understand the meaning of participation in the study may give an oral witnessed informed consent. These patients have to make clear undoubtfully that they are willing to participate voluntarily and must be able to understand an explanation of the contents of he information sheet.
* Willingness and ability to comply with the protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Evidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) on the CT-scan.
* Symptoms of ischaemic attack began more than 4 hours and 30 minutes prior to infusion start or when time of symptom onset is unknown.
* Minor neurological deficit or symptoms rapidly improving before start of infusion.
* Severe stroke as assessed clinically (e.g. NIHSS\>25) and/or by appropriate imaging techniques.
* Epileptic seizure at onset of stroke
* Symptoms suggestive of subarachnoid haemorrhage, even if the CT-scan is normal.
* Administration of heparin within the previous 48 hours and a thromboplastin time exceeding the upper limit of normal for laboratory
* History of prior stroke and concomitant diabetes. \* Prior stroke within the last 3 months
* Platelet below 100,000/mm3. \* Systolic blood pressure \>185 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure \>110 mmHg, or aggressive management (IV medication) necessary to reduce BP to these limits.
* Blood glucose \<50 or \> 400 mg/dl (\< 2.77 or \> 22.15 mmol / l). \* Known haemorraghic diathesis
* Patients receiving oral anticoagulants. \* Manifest or recent severe or dangerous bleeding
* Known history of or suspected intracranial haemorrhage
* Suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage or condition after subarachnoid haemorrhage from aneurysm
* History of central nervous system damage (i.e. neoplasm, aneurysm, intracranial or spinal surgery)
* Haemorrhagic retinopathy,e.g. in diabetes (vision disturbances may indicate haemorrhagic retinopathy)
* Recent (less than 10 days) traumatic external heart massage, obstetrical delivery, recent puncture of a non-compressible blood-vessel (e.g. subclavian or jugular vein puncture.
* bacterial endocarditis, pericarditis.\* Acute pancreatitis
* Documented ulcerative gastrointestinal disease during the last 3 months, oesophageal varices, arterial- aneurysm, arterial/venous malformation
* Neoplasm with increased bleeding risk
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Sudden focal neurological deficit attributable to a stroke
* Clearly defined time of onset, allowing initiation of intravenous treatment within 3 hours of symptoms onset and intra-arterial treatment within 6 hour of symptoms onset.
* Age greater than 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

* Disability preceding stroke consistent with a modified Rankin scale score of 2-4
* Coma at onset
* Rapidly improving neurological deficit
* Seizure at onset
* Clinical presentation suggestive of a subarachnoid hemorrhage
* Previous history of intracranial hemorrhage
* Septic embolism
* Arterial puncture at a non compressible site within the previous 7 days
* Any traumatic brain injury within the previous 14 days
* Surgery of the central nervous system in the previous 3 months
* Gastrointestinal hemorrhage or urinary tract hemorrhage within the previous 14 days.
* Current therapy with intravenous or subcutaneous heparin to rise the clotting time
* Known hereditary or acquired hemorrhagic diathesis, baseline INR greater than 1.5, aPTT more than 1.5 times normal, or baseline platelet count less than 100,000 per cubic millimeter
* Baseline blood glucose concentrations below 2.75 mm/L (50 mg/dL).
* Known contrast sensitivity.
* Women of childbearing potential (unless pregnancy impossible) or known to be breastfeeding. Uncontrolled hypertension defined by a blood pressure greater or equal 185 mmHg systolic or diastolic greater or equal 110 mm Hg in 3 separate occasions at least 10 minutes apart or requiring continuous IV therapy.
* Prognosis very poor regardless of therapy; likely to be dead within months.
* Unlikely to be available for follow-up (eg, no fixed home address, visitor from overseas).
* Any other condition which local investigators feels would pose a significant hazard in terms of risk/benefit to the patient, or if therapies are impracticable.

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC (CT) SCAN EXCLUSION CRITERIA

* Intracranial tumors except small meningioma
* Hemorrhage of any degree
* Acute infarction (since this may be an indicator that the time of onset is uncorrected)

Answer: B