Conditions: Cerebrovascular Accident
Keywords: stroke brain attack magnesium sulfate neuroprotection prehospital care emergency medical services
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 1700
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of field-initiated magnesium sulfate in improving the long-term functional outcome of patients with acute stroke.

Detailed description:
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States. Each year, more than 750,000 Americans suffer a symptomatic stroke.

Currently, tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is the only approved treatment for acute ischemic stroke; however, its usefulness is limited because most patients cannot reach medical attention within the necessary 3-hour time window. In addition, rt-PA cannot be given in the field because it is contraindicated for treatment of patients with brain hemorrhage.

The purpose of this multi-center, randomized, double-blind trial is to demonstrate that paramedic initiation of the neuroprotective agent magnesium sulfate in the field is an effective and safe treatment for acute stroke. This study will analyze magnesium sulfate, an experimental therapy for stroke, versus placebo among ambulance-transported patients with acute stroke. This trial will also demonstrate that paramedics can safely, effectively, and rapidly start neuroprotective therapies for stroke.

Arms:
arm 1: Magnesium sulfate (Mg) was administered intravenously with a 15 minute bolus load followed by a 24 hour infusion. The bolus-loading dose consisted of 4 grams Mg in 54 ml normal saline. The maintenance infusion contained 16 grams Mg diluted in 240 ml 0.9% normal saline, infused at 10 ml/hr for 24 hours. Paramedics in the field initiated the bolus-loading dose, administered at 216 ml/hr over 15 minutes through a rate controlled IV infusion set. The maintenance infusion was initiated in hospital immediately upon completion of the loading dose. arm 2: Normal saline was administered intravenously with a 15 minute bolus load followed by a 24 hour infusion. Paramedics in the field initiated the bolus-loading dose of 54 ml normal saline, administered at 216 ml/hr over 15 minutes through a rate controlled IV infusion set. The maintenance infusion was initiated in hospital immediately upon completion of the loading dose at 10 ml/hr for 24 hours.

Interventions: intervention 1: Magnesium Sulfate intervention 2: Normal Saline
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Paramedics initiate a loading dose of 4 grams magnesium sulfate IV over 15 minutes, followed after hospital arrival by a maintenance infusion of 16 grams magnesium sulfate IV over 24 hours. intervention 2: Paramedics initiate a loading dose of placebo normal saline IV over 15 minutes, followed after hospital arrival by a maintenance infusion of placebo normal saline IV over 24 hours.

Protocol document: