Translational Research Themed Edition of the International Journal of Stroke

'The mortality and morbidity associated with stroke makes the development of new drugs a research priority. Recent unsuccessful clinical trials have reduced enthusiasm for the development of neuroprotective drugs. Here, we use empirical evidence derived from systematic reviews of stroke drug development to identify stages of drug development which might be improved. We then propose exemplar strategies which may be helpful, along with some basic economic modelling of what the impact of such strategies might be. This suggests that relatively straightforward measures might reduce the costs of drug development by $5·8 bn or 31%.'


Abstract from Improving the efficiency of the development of drugs for stroke
Authors: 

David W. Howells^1,2,*, 

Emily S. Sena^1,2,

Victoria O'Collins¹, 

Malcolm R. Macleod

ESC IST-3 announcement

Researchers from the International Stroke Trial 3; have released results from the worlds largest ever trial of the clot busting drug rt-PA. Published today concurrently in the Lancet, and presented at the European Stroke Conference in Lisbon.

The IST-3 trial found patients receiving clot-busting drugs have a better chance of survival and avoiding disability. In patients over 80, a previously untreated group in the European Union, the use of rt-PA will dramatically increase their survival rates post stroke.

Research has found patients under 80 benefit from rt-PA when treated within four and a half hours of stroke. Co investigator Richard Lindley, Professor of Geriatric Medicine from the University of Sydney’s Medical School is adamant ‘Please don’t ignore the over 80s – they benefit hugely’.   

Richard Lindley, Joanna Wardlaw and Michael Hennerici at todays ESC announcement 

The trial found fatal bleeding was a risk factor associated with rt-PA use within the first week of treatment, although the researchers insist that the early hazard is greatly outweighed by the late substantial benefit. Dr Lindley insists that in his practical experience patients over 80 have an extremely high risk of death after stoke within the six month period indicated and that the risk of rt-PA bleed is minimal compared to the risk of no treatment at all.

This latest study sought to establish rt-PA treatment as effective in patients over 80, and it has done exactly that. As the population ages and age becomes a primary risk factor in Australia these treatments will be able to alleviate the extreme costs of stroke on the community and increase quality of life for stroke patients.

IST-3 Imaging Lead Professor Joanna Wardlaw for the University of Edinburgh Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, is also pushing for better managed clinical windows so that patients can access rt-PA within the required time, ‘the faster you treat the better the outcome’ she said ‘ and faster treatment will result from better communication (among health workers)’.

Carmen Lahiff-Jenkins

Managing Editor the International Journal of Stroke

Attending the European Stroke Conference, Lisbon, Portugal 

ESC 'Johann Jacob Wepfer Award'

The first day of the ESC and Professor Lou Caplan has received a standing ovation from the audience while being presented with the Johann Jacob Wepfer Award. In a moving tribute to a stroke giant, Heinrich Mattle emoted the audience to a standing ovation. The award itself honours scientists for their outstanding work in the field of cerebrovascular diseases. Professor Caplan was generously mentored throughout his career by C Miller Fisher and has himself mentored many ornaments to the game, including IJS Associate Editor Conrado Estol, who wrote an excellent piece for IJS on the career achievements of Professor Caplan in 2007. Thanks to Robert Ackerman who worked closely with Miller Fisher, IJS will publish an obituary celebrating the life of this eminent neurologist in the coming edition of the journal. In our latest edition we also farewell the much lauded Frank Yatsu.

http://www.strokestories.scot.nhs.uk/storylibrary/narratives/narratives.htm. The stroke human toll. 

Translational research themed edition

IJS is in the process of wrapping up the Translational Research themed edition for July 2012 publication. 

'We have put together this themed edition on translational research in stroke for a very good reason. Running like a golden thread through each article is the implicit understanding that translational research in the traditional sense for stroke is at a critical point in time.'

Geoff Donnan

This edition, devised and commissioned by David Howells and Malcolm McLeod explores 

stem cells in stroke treatment, biomarkers, neuroprotection, animal models, ethics, drug development and pathophysiologic cascades; it looks to be an excellent themed edition. 

2nd International Congress on Neurology & Epidemiology

 

2nd International Congress on Neurology & Epidemiology - November 8-10, 2012 / Nice - France 

Are you ready for the ICNE 2012 Conference ? 

Have you entered all ICNE sessions and networking opportunities in your personal diary for the congress ? With only 30 days after the registration and abstracts opening, already over 150 delegates have already registered. Register now and avoid being left out from what is certain to be one of the most productive and innovative events that ICNE has ever held ! 

The main topics are:  

• diagnosis, treatment and prevention of neurological diseases
• epidemiology of neurological diseases 
• health service delivery, health policy and health economics
• translational neuroscience, and
• improving outcomes for people with neurological disease. 

The congress will feature internationally recognized speakers, platform lectures, oral presentations and poster sessions, and provide an ideal platform for continuing education in all fields of clinical neurology and neuroepidemiology. 

ICNE Exhibition & Sponsorship opportunities: 
Do you want to maximize your exposure during the ICNE Congress & Exhibition ? 

Become a sponsor of one or more activities held during the ICNE sessions and Exhibition in Nice. 

Please visit the conference website at www.neuro-conference.com/2012/

Deadlines: Early Fees deadline 1 May 2012 Abstract closing 1 June 2012 Standard fees deadline 15 October 2012 Hotel reservation deadline 25 October 2012 Online registration deadline 1 November 2012 

Conference Opening 8 November 2012

Why should you support the WSO?

Editorial 

Why should you support the WSO?

The International Journal of Stroke is the flagship publication of the World Stroke Organization (WSO). Within a very brief period of time the WSO has clearly established itself as the lead stroke organization on the global stage. It’s focus on education and the promotion of research worldwide has made it a key collaborator with the World Health Organization. Moving stoke from under the cardiovascular umbrella and into the neurosciences within the WHO, presents a unique opportunity to focus on stroke specific problems, ranging from prevention right through to rehabilitation and community management. Do not underestimate the significance of this classification change as funding often follows WHO activities. As a stand-alone disease of such significant global burden within the neurosciences, the opportunities ahead must be firmly grasped! 

Why should you support the WSO? Primarily, a large professional membership will lend considerable weight to the argument that researchers are serious about reducing the burden of stroke, globally.

And secondarily, as the second most common cause of death worldwide, a proportional number of concerned investigators and clinicians should band together under the unified umbrella of the WSO. These are altruistic reasons for joining, and should be the primary driver for professionals becoming a member; however, there are also more practical and immediate benefits in being a WSO member, these include:

·      free subscription and online access to the International Journal of Stroke (IJS)

·      substantial discount to the registration fees for the World Stroke Congresses

·      Quarterly newsletter with information and updates in the field of stroke

·      exclusive eligibility to apply for WSO travel fellowships and awards associated with major scientific meetings of the WSO

·      free access to webcasted/podcasted congress sessions

·      access to the World Stroke Academy (WSA) – a global resource centre for information about stroke, and an opportunity for continuing education of healthcare professionals

·      inclusion in and access to the online WSO Membership Directory

·      right to host World Stroke Congresses and to participate in the call for bids

·      right to vote for, be nominated or elected to the Board of Directors 2012-2016

·      membership certificate (upon request).

With your support the WSO can be your advocate for change in systems worldwide helping to prevent, acutely treat, and rehabilitate stroke globally.

In this issue we draw attention to the impending Warfarin wars with a provocative Leading opinion article by Hans-Christoph Diener¹ et al. The analogy drawn with the Diadoch wars is most appropriate; we are in the fascinating position of having a change of the therapeutic guard for the first time in 50 years, with a tense struggle among a number of potential successors. We will all watch with interest and, no doubt to a certain degree participate. The beneficiaries of course will be people today who will not have a stroke due to the introduction of these significantly better therapeutic agents. 

Interestingly, Yun-Fang Tsai et al, have provided data to illustrate the underuse of anticoagulants in patients with AF, particularly to parts of Asia. It seems likely that the Warfarin wars will result in a reversal of this unfortunate state of affairs. 

Of course we have other articles of interest as always!

Remember by supporting the WSO you also support our journal: the accessible voice of stroke internationally.

Geoffrey A. Donnan

This article will appear in the coming edition of the International Journal of Stroke.

Indigenous stroke patients treated worse: National audit

Indigenous stroke patients treated worse: National audit

'Co-author Dr Dominique Cadilhac from the Stroke and Ageing Research Centre at Monash University said the data were controlled for patient clustering within hospitals, and only hospitals that treated at least one Indig- enous patient were included.

“If anything I think it underestimated the discrepancy,” said Dr Cadilhac, who also works at the National Stroke Foundation.'

Smart Strokes Scholarships Stroke Society Australasia

http://www.stroke2012.com.au/

Smart Strokes Scholarships

The Smart Strokes Scholarship provides stroke nursing and allied health clinicians across Australasia the opportunity to receive financial assistance to attend the three-day Stroke 2012 Conference.

For more information on the Smart Strokes Scholarship please click here.

Please note that the closing date for applications is Friday, 20 April 2012.

If you have any queries please contact the Stroke 2012 Secretariat at +61 2 9431 8699 or stroke2012@conferenceaction.com.au

Burden of stroke in Malaysia coming in Feb 2012

Abstract

Stroke is one of the top five leading causes of death and one of the top 10 causes for hospitalization in Malaysia. Stroke is also in the top five diseases with the greatest burden of disease, based on disability-adjusted life years. However, prospective studies on stroke in Malaysia are limited. To date, neither the prevalence of stroke nor its incidence nationally has been recorded. Hypertension is the major risk factor for stroke. The mean age of stroke patients in Malaysia is between 54·5 and 62·6 years. Traditional medicine is commonly practiced. With the increasing number of stroke cases annually, more government and nongovernment organizations should be involved in primary and secondary prevention strategies.

Image from the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology website

Brazil, Winner of the World Stroke Day awards

Congratulations Brazil, winners of the World Stroke Day 2011 Award!




'The Campaign for the World Stroke Day 2011 in Brazil was organized by Brazilian Stroke Society, Brazilian Stroke Network, Brazilian Academy of Neurology and Brazilian Stroke Association and supported by Brazilian Medical Association, Brazilian Society of Cardiology, Brazilian Society of Cardiac Arrhythmia and Brazilian Emergency Network. One week campaign joined health professionals, students, health authorities, journalists, advertising and other professionals with actions in 22 states out of a total of 26, in 51 cities, to aware the population about stroke, the leading cause of death and disability in Brazil.'


Brazil YouTube video 

See below WSD 2011 winners:

I.   FIRST PLACE /GOLD AWARD:

Country: Brazil

Name of Society: Brazilian Stroke Society/Brazilian Stroke Network/Brazilian Academy of Neurology/Brazilian Stroke Association

I

II.  SECOND PLACE/SILVER AWARD

Country: Israel

Name of Society: Neeman Association for Stroke Survivors

 

III. THIRD PLACE/BRONZE AWARD

Country: Mongolia

Name of Society: Mongolian Stroke Association

IV.    Honorable Mention

è Country: China, Hong Kong, S.A.R

Name of Society: Hong Kong H.K.S.K.H. Lady MacLehose Centre

è Country: Italy

Name of Society: ALICe Italia Onlus

è Country: USA

Name of Society: American Stroke Association