Rapid Primary care Initiation of Drug treatment for TIA (RAPID−TIA)

ISRCTN ISRCTN62019087
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN62019087
Secondary identifying numbers 10122
Submission date
25/01/2013
Registration date
29/01/2013
Last edited
03/10/2018
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Circulatory System
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
People who have a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke are at high risk of another stroke, particularly in the first week after the event. A recent study has shown that starting secondary prevention drugs early, in a specialist clinic, significantly lowers the risk of another stroke. RAPIDTIA is a pilot study to determine the feasibility of a larger study to see whether it is better for patients to receive extra medication to prevent further stroke from the primary care doctor or wait until they have been seen by a specialist.

Who can participate?
Approximately 170 patients with symptoms suggestive of TIA or minor stroke will be recruited from the catchment of three hospital TIA clinics (Birmingham, Cambridge and Oxford) and the emergency departments of these hospitals.

What does the study involve?
Participants with a probable diagnosis of TIA will be entered into the whole pilot study, those with possible TIA will be entered into the diagnostic study only. Participants with a probable TIA will be randomised to receive usual treatment as recommended by current guidelines (the control group) or usual treatment plus additional medications usually initiated by a specialist. All participants will be seen by a specialist as per current practice who will record final diagnosis and adjust medication accordingly. A further follow up appointment will be scheduled after 90 days. In addition, approximately 10 patients and 10 healthcare professionals will be invited to participate in one in-depth semi-structured interview lasting up to one hour. The interview will help us to identify how trial procedures might be modified for the main trial.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits include starting secondary prevention medication on the same day instead of waiting, which may reduce the risk of another stroke. Risks include extension of haemorrhagic stroke from dual anti-platelet treatment, uncertainty about the effect of early statin treatment, and unnecessary treatment due to overdiagnosis.

Where is the study run from?
University of Birmingham (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
December 2008 to December 2012

Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Kate Fletcher
k.fletcher@bham.ac.uk

Contact information

Mrs Kate Fletcher
Scientific

School of Health Sciences
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Email k.fletcher@bham.ac.uk

Study information

Study designRandomised; Interventional; Design type: Process of Care
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleRApid Primary care Initiation of Drug treatment for TIA (RAPID−TIA) – a pilot randomised controlled trial
Study acronymRAPID-TIA
Study objectivesPeople who have a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke are at high risk of a recurrent stroke, particularly in the first week after the event.
1. Recent data suggest very early initiation of secondary prevention drugs leads to an 80% reduction in risk of stroke recurrence.
2. This raises the question as to whether these drugs in addition to aspirin should be given before being seen by a specialist – i.e. in primary care or in the emergency department.

The aim of the RAPID-TIA pilot trial is to determine the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial and cost effectiveness analysis to ask: Should general practitioners and emergency doctors (“primary care physicians [PCP]”) initiate secondary preventative measures in addition to aspirin in people they see with suspected TIA or minor stroke at the time of referral to a specialist? We will recruit 170 patients from 30 general practices and 3 emergency departments and randomly assign them to usual care or usual care plus additional early initiation of secondary prevention drugs (a blood pressure lowering protocol, simvastatin 40mg and dipyridamole 200mg m/r bd). The primary outcome of the main study will be stroke at 90 days. This pilot study will be used to estimate key parameters that are needed to design the main study and to estimate accuracy of primary care diagnosis of TIA.
Ethics approval(s)Cambridgeshire 3 Research Ethics Committee, 03/05/2011, ref: 11/EE/0040
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedTransient ischaemic attack / Stroke
InterventionIntervention plus usual care group
Intervention group patients will be treated with additional secondary prevention medications, unless there are clinical contra-indications, prior to referral to a specialist clinic. Treatment will comprise of dual antiplatelets, blood pressure lowering medication, and simvastatin 40mg. All patients will then be referred to a specialist clinic as per NICE guidelines (with the degree of urgency dictated by the ABCD2 score).

Dual antiplatelets
In patients not already on antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy, aspirin 300mg once daily will be started for the first two weeks or until reduced by the specialist. Dipyridamole MR 200mg twice daily will be started in patients not already on antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy other than aspirin. Anticoagulation or antiplatelet agents the patient is already taking will be continued.

Blood pressure lowering medication
Unless BP is below 130mmHg systolic on either of two readings taken one minute apart or the patient is already taking all three of a thiazide diuretic, ACE-inhibitor and calcium channel blocker, then one of these three classes of medication will be initiated according to the PCP’s clinical choice. If the patient is already taking all three drug classes, one agent should be dose increased within its licensed dosage according to the PCP’s clinical choice.

Simvastatin 40mg once daily
Simvastatin 40mg daily will be started unless the patient is already on statin treatment of equivalent intensity.

Clinicians should check liver function or renal function when starting statins and blood pressure lowering medications according to their usual practice, but results are not mandatory prior to initiating treatment.

3.8.2 Usual care group
Control group: if patients are not already on antiplatelet therapy, a loading dose of aspirin will be administered (300mg daily) and patients will be referred to a specialist clinic as per NICE guidelines (with the degree of urgency dictated by the ABCD2 score).(8)

All patients will be instructed to continue on their usual medications unless a clinician makes a specific decision to alter them for any reason.

Follow Up Length: 3 month(s)
Intervention typeDrug
Pharmaceutical study type(s)
PhaseNot Applicable
Drug / device / biological / vaccine name(s)Aspirin, Dipyridamole, simvastatin
Primary outcome measureAll stroke within 90 days of randomisation
Secondary outcome measuresClinical outcomes within 90 days of randomisation
•All vascular events
•All major bleeding
•Death
•Ischaemic stroke
•Haemorrhagic stroke
•Fatal stroke
•Disabling stroke
•Non-disabling stroke
•TIA

We will also explore the benefit of analysing clinical outcome at different lengths of time, including 7 days from randomisation, 7 and 90 days from first symptoms, and between randomisation and first specialist appointment.
Overall study start date01/11/2011
Completion date31/12/2012

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participantsUK Sample Size: 170
Key inclusion criteriaPatients over 18 years of age (male and female) presenting to a primary care physician with symptoms suggestive of TIA or minor stroke (first or recurrent, but only one event per patient in the trial)
Key exclusion criteriaPatients requiring immediate emegency admission, where symptoms have not substantially resolved by the time they see primary care physician
Date of first enrolment01/11/2011
Date of final enrolment31/12/2012

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

University of Birmingham
Birmingham
B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Birmingham (UK)
University/education

Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
England
United Kingdom

Website http://www.birmingham.ac.uk
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/03angcq70

Funders

Funder type

Government

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK) Grant Codes: PB_PG_1207_15216
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
National Institute for Health Research, NIHR Research, NIHRresearch, NIHR - National Institute for Health Research, NIHR (The National Institute for Health and Care Research), NIHR
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol article protocol 02/07/2013 Yes No

Editorial Notes

03/10/2018: No publications found, verifying study status with principal investigator.