Combined Thrombectomy for Distal MediUm Vessel Occlusion StroKe
DUSK
A Phase III, Randomized, Multicenter, Investigational, Open Label Clinical Trial That Will Examine Whether Treatment With Endovascular Thrombectomy is Superior to Standard Medical Therapy Alone in Patients Who Suffer a Distal Medium Vessel Occlusion Ischemic Strokes.
1 other identifier
interventional
584
1 country
4
Brief Summary
A phase III, randomized, multi-center, investigational, open label clinical trial that will examine whether treatment with endovascular thrombectomy is superior to standard medical therapy alone in patients who suffer a Distal Medium Vessel Occlusion Ischemic Stroke within 12 hours from time last seen well
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Apr 2024
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
4 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 20, 2023
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
August 9, 2023
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
April 2, 2024
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
July 1, 2027
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
November 1, 2027
February 23, 2026
February 1, 2026
3.2 years
July 20, 2023
February 20, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Shift in distribution of all levels of the 90-day modified Rankin Scale with levels 5-6 combined (mRS; 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-6) as assessed by structured assessment
Modified Rankin Scale measurement (mRS): 0=no symptoms, 1= no significant disablity despite symptoms, able to carry out all usual duties. 2= slight disability, unable to carry out all previous activities, but able to look after own affairs without assistance. 3=moderate disability, requiring some help, able to walk without assistance. 4=moderatly severe disability, unable to walk and attend to bodily needs without assistance. 5=severe disability, bedridden, incontinent and requiring total nursing care. 6=dead
90-day follow-up
Secondary Outcomes (29)
Shift in distribution of the 90-day mRS (0;1;2;3;4;5;6) as assessed by structured assessment
90-day follow-up
Rates of Independent Outcome defined as mRS ≤2 and/ or equal to Baseline mRS at 90 days
90-day follow-up
Rates of Excellent Outcome defined as mRS ≤1 and/ or equal to Baseline mRS at 90 days
90-day follow-up
Rates of Good Functional Outcomes adjusted for the baseline mRS and stroke severity (NIHSS) according to the modified Rankin Scale scores at 90 days as following:
90-day follow-up
EVT arm only: Final reperfusion grades according to the extended Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (eTICI) scale and the rates of First Pass Effect (eTICI ≥2c) and Modified First Pass Effect (eTICI ≥2b50)
90-day follow-up
- +24 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (2)
Standard of Care Treatment
ACTIVE COMPARATORStandard medical management in patients who suffer a distal medium vessel occlusion
Endovascular Thrombectomy
EXPERIMENTALEndovascular thrombectomy in patients who suffer a distal medium vessel occlusion.
Interventions
The AXS Catalyst Distal Access Catheter is indicated for use in facilitating the insertion and guidance of appropriately sized interventional devices into a selected blood vessel in the peripheral and neurovascular systems, and is also indicated for use as a conduit for retrieval devices. The AXS Vecta Intermediate Catheter, as part of the AXS Vecta Aspiration System, is indicated in the revascularization of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Patients who are ineligible for intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA) or who failed IV t-PA therapy are candidates for treatment. The Trevo® Retriever is indicated for use to restore blood flow in the neurovasculature by removing thrombus for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke to reduce disability in patients with a persistent, proximal anterior circulation, large vessel occlusion, and smaller core infarcts who have first received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA).
All subjects should receive the best standard medical therapy based on current AHA guidelines. Subjects randomized to standard medical management (SMM) will receive standard medical therapy only based on the guidelines. All subjects are expected to be admitted to hospital as part of routine best guideline-based care and treated on a stroke unit or neurointensive care unit or equivalent.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Age ≥18 years (no upper age limit)
- Acute ischemic stroke where patient is ineligible for or has failed\* IV thrombolytic treatment and is ineligible for endovascular treatment under best guideline-based care due to absence of proximal arterial occlusion (e.g. intracranial ICA, MCA-M1 and co-dominant or dominant M2\*\* segments, and vertebrobasilar arteries).\*\*\*
- \* IV thrombolytic treatment failure is defined by persistent disabling neurological deficits beyond 60 minutes of completion of thrombolytic infusion in the presence of imaging findings consistent with DMVO.
- \*\*Dominant M2 segment is defined is a division supplying \>50% of the MCA territory vs co-dominant supplying 50% of the MCA territory vs non-dominant supplying \<50% of the MCA territory.
- \*\*\*No procedures or tests required by the protocol will delay fastest possible delivery of thrombolytic therapy to potentially eligible subjects.
- Evidence of a primary (e.g. not secondary to EVT of proximal vessel occlusion) distal medium vascular occlusion defined as occlusion of the non-dominant M2 segment or M3 segment of the MCA, the ACA (A1, A2, or A3 segments), or the PCA (P1, P2 or P3 segments) resulting in significant clinical deficits and expected to be treatable by endovascular thrombectomy. Regardless of vessel anatomic location, all vessel diameters should be within 1.5mm -2.5mm. (refer to the device labeling for recommended vessel diameters for each device model.)\*
- No significant pre-stroke functional disability (mRS ≤2)
- Evidence of a disabling stroke defined as follows:
- Baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score \>5 at the time of randomization.
- NIHSS 3-5 with disabling deficit including significant aphasia, neglect, hemianopsia, or hemiparesis/ loss of hand or leg function as established by the treating team in context of the patient's life.
- The presence of a Target Mismatch defined as:
- Ischemic Core \< 50cc (defined on NCCT/CTP\* or DWI-MRI)
- \*Visual or automatedly detected hypodensity on NCCT should be used to exclude or include patients if the investigator believes that their assessment is more reliable than the CTP volume in any particular case.
- Mismatch Volume (TMax \>6sec lesion - Core volume lesion) \>10cc
- Mismatch Ratio \>1.4
- +2 more criteria
You may not qualify if:
- Any sign of intracranial hemorrhage on baseline CT/MR (SDH/SAH/ICH).
- Rapidly improving symptoms, particularly if in the judgment of the managing clinician that the improvement is likely to result in the patient having no residual disabling deficits and an NIHSS score of \<5 at randomization.
- Significant ischemic changes in a territory other than the occluded site that in the opinion of the investigator could reduce the benefit of endovascular treatment.
- Contra indication to imaging with MR or CT with contrast agents.
- Infarct core \>1/3 occluded territory (MCA, ACA, or PCA) qualitatively or \>50 mL quantitatively (determined by NCCT, CTP or DWI).
- Any terminal illness such that patient would not be expected to survive more than 1 year.
- Recent past history or clinical presentation of ICH, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), arterio-venous (AV) malformation, aneurysm, or cerebral neoplasm other than meningioma.
- Any imaging findings suggestive of futile recanalization in the judgment of the local investigator.
- Premorbid disability (mRS ≥3).
- Inability to initiate endovascular treatment within 12 hours of last seen well.
- Seizures at stroke onset if it precludes obtaining an accurate baseline NIHSS.
- Baseline blood glucose of \<50 mg/dL (2.78 mmol) or \>400 mg/dL (22.20 mmol).
- Known history of hereditary or acquired hemorrhagic diathesis and/or platelet count \<100,000/uL.
- Known renal failure as defined as serum creatinine levels \> 3.0 mg/dL.
- Presumed septic embolus or suspicion of bacterial endocarditis.
- +7 more criteria
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- Raul Nogueiralead
- Stryker Neurovascularcollaborator
- Brainstorme Imaging Core Lab Inccollaborator
Study Sites (4)
Grady Health System
Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, United States
UI Health Care Medical Center
Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States
ProMedica
Toledo, Ohio, 43606, United States
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States
Related Publications (21)
Ospel JM, Goyal M. A review of endovascular treatment for medium vessel occlusion stroke. J Neurointerv Surg. 2021 Jul;13(7):623-630. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2021-017321. Epub 2021 Feb 26.
PMID: 33637570BACKGROUNDSaver JL, Chapot R, Agid R, Hassan A, Jadhav AP, Liebeskind DS, Lobotesis K, Meila D, Meyer L, Raphaeli G, Gupta R; Distal Thrombectomy Summit Group*dagger. Thrombectomy for Distal, Medium Vessel Occlusions: A Consensus Statement on Present Knowledge and Promising Directions. Stroke. 2020 Sep;51(9):2872-2884. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.028956. Epub 2020 Aug 6. No abstract available.
PMID: 32757757BACKGROUNDPowers WJ, Rabinstein AA, Ackerson T, Adeoye OM, Bambakidis NC, Becker K, Biller J, Brown M, Demaerschalk BM, Hoh B, Jauch EC, Kidwell CS, Leslie-Mazwi TM, Ovbiagele B, Scott PA, Sheth KN, Southerland AM, Summers DV, Tirschwell DL. Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: 2019 Update to the 2018 Guidelines for the Early Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Stroke. 2019 Dec;50(12):e344-e418. doi: 10.1161/STR.0000000000000211. Epub 2019 Oct 30.
PMID: 31662037BACKGROUNDTurc G, Bhogal P, Fischer U, Khatri P, Lobotesis K, Mazighi M, Schellinger PD, Toni D, de Vries J, White P, Fiehler J. European Stroke Organisation (ESO) - European Society for Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT) Guidelines on Mechanical Thrombectomy in Acute Ischaemic StrokeEndorsed by Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE). Eur Stroke J. 2019 Mar;4(1):6-12. doi: 10.1177/2396987319832140. Epub 2019 Feb 26.
PMID: 31165090BACKGROUNDCampbell BCV, Ma H, Ringleb PA, Parsons MW, Churilov L, Bendszus M, Levi CR, Hsu C, Kleinig TJ, Fatar M, Leys D, Molina C, Wijeratne T, Curtze S, Dewey HM, Barber PA, Butcher KS, De Silva DA, Bladin CF, Yassi N, Pfaff JAR, Sharma G, Bivard A, Desmond PM, Schwab S, Schellinger PD, Yan B, Mitchell PJ, Serena J, Toni D, Thijs V, Hacke W, Davis SM, Donnan GA; EXTEND, ECASS-4, and EPITHET Investigators. Extending thrombolysis to 4.5-9 h and wake-up stroke using perfusion imaging: a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data. Lancet. 2019 Jul 13;394(10193):139-147. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31053-0. Epub 2019 May 22.
PMID: 31128925BACKGROUNDOspel JM, Menon BK, Demchuk AM, Almekhlafi MA, Kashani N, Mayank A, Fainardi E, Rubiera M, Khaw A, Shankar JJ, Dowlatshahi D, Puig J, Sohn SI, Ahn SH, Poppe A, Calleja A, Hill MD, Goyal M. Clinical Course of Acute Ischemic Stroke Due to Medium Vessel Occlusion With and Without Intravenous Alteplase Treatment. Stroke. 2020 Nov;51(11):3232-3240. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.030227. Epub 2020 Oct 19.
PMID: 33070714BACKGROUNDGoyal M, Menon BK, van Zwam WH, Dippel DW, Mitchell PJ, Demchuk AM, Davalos A, Majoie CB, van der Lugt A, de Miquel MA, Donnan GA, Roos YB, Bonafe A, Jahan R, Diener HC, van den Berg LA, Levy EI, Berkhemer OA, Pereira VM, Rempel J, Millan M, Davis SM, Roy D, Thornton J, Roman LS, Ribo M, Beumer D, Stouch B, Brown S, Campbell BC, van Oostenbrugge RJ, Saver JL, Hill MD, Jovin TG; HERMES collaborators. Endovascular thrombectomy after large-vessel ischaemic stroke: a meta-analysis of individual patient data from five randomised trials. Lancet. 2016 Apr 23;387(10029):1723-31. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00163-X. Epub 2016 Feb 18.
PMID: 26898852BACKGROUNDMenon BK, Hill MD, Davalos A, Roos YBWEM, Campbell BCV, Dippel DWJ, Guillemin F, Saver JL, van der Lugt A, Demchuk AM, Muir K, Brown S, Jovin T, Mitchell P, White P, Bracard S, Goyal M. Efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy in patients with M2 segment middle cerebral artery occlusions: meta-analysis of data from the HERMES Collaboration. J Neurointerv Surg. 2019 Nov;11(11):1065-1069. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2018-014678. Epub 2019 Apr 11.
PMID: 30975736BACKGROUNDHaussen DC, Lima A, Nogueira RG. The Trevo XP 3x20 mm retriever ('Baby Trevo') for the treatment of distal intracranial occlusions. J Neurointerv Surg. 2016 Mar;8(3):295-9. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2014-011613. Epub 2015 May 6.
PMID: 25948592BACKGROUNDHaussen DC, Al-Bayati AR, Eby B, Ravindran K, Rodrigues GM, Frankel MR, Nogueira RG. Blind exchange with mini-pinning technique for distal occlusion thrombectomy. J Neurointerv Surg. 2020 Apr;12(4):392-395. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2019-015205. Epub 2019 Aug 31.
PMID: 31473647BACKGROUNDPerez-Garcia C, Moreu M, Rosati S, Simal P, Egido JA, Gomez-Escalonilla C, Arrazola J. Mechanical Thrombectomy in Medium Vessel Occlusions: Blind Exchange With Mini-Pinning Technique Versus Mini Stent Retriever Alone. Stroke. 2020 Nov;51(11):3224-3231. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.030815. Epub 2020 Oct 19.
PMID: 33070712BACKGROUNDGrossberg JA, Rebello LC, Haussen DC, Bouslama M, Bowen M, Barreira CM, Belagaje SR, Frankel MR, Nogueira RG. Beyond Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes: Distal Occlusion Thrombectomy. Stroke. 2018 Jul;49(7):1662-1668. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.118.020567. Epub 2018 Jun 18.
PMID: 29915125BACKGROUNDNogueira RG, Mohammaden MH, Haussen DC, Budzik RF, Gupta R, Krajina A, English JD, Malek AR, Sarraj A, Narata AP, Taqi MA, Frankel MR, Miller TR, Grobelny T, Baxter BW, Bartolini BM, Jenkins P, Estrade L, Liebeskind D, Veznedaroglu E; Trevo Registry Investigators. Endovascular therapy in the distal neurovascular territory: results of a large prospective registry. J Neurointerv Surg. 2021 Nov;13(11):979-984. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2020-016851. Epub 2020 Dec 15.
PMID: 33323503BACKGROUNDGoyal M, Ospel JM, Menon BK, Hill MD. MeVO: the next frontier? J Neurointerv Surg. 2020 Jun;12(6):545-547. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2020-015807. Epub 2020 Feb 14. No abstract available.
PMID: 32060151BACKGROUNDSeners P, Turc G, Maier B, Mas JL, Oppenheim C, Baron JC. Incidence and Predictors of Early Recanalization After Intravenous Thrombolysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Stroke. 2016 Sep;47(9):2409-12. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.116.014181. Epub 2016 Jul 26.
PMID: 27462117BACKGROUNDMenon BK, Al-Ajlan FS, Najm M, Puig J, Castellanos M, Dowlatshahi D, Calleja A, Sohn SI, Ahn SH, Poppe A, Mikulik R, Asdaghi N, Field TS, Jin A, Asil T, Boulanger JM, Smith EE, Coutts SB, Barber PA, Bal S, Subramanian S, Mishra S, Trivedi A, Dey S, Eesa M, Sajobi T, Goyal M, Hill MD, Demchuk AM; INTERRSeCT Study Investigators. Association of Clinical, Imaging, and Thrombus Characteristics With Recanalization of Visible Intracranial Occlusion in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke. JAMA. 2018 Sep 11;320(10):1017-1026. doi: 10.1001/jama.2018.12498.
PMID: 30208455BACKGROUNDTian H, Parsons MW, Levi CR, Lin L, Aviv RI, Spratt NJ, Butcher KS, Lou M, Kleinig TJ, Bivard A. Influence of occlusion site and baseline ischemic core on outcome in patients with ischemic stroke. Neurology. 2019 Jun 4;92(23):e2626-e2643. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000007553. Epub 2019 May 1.
PMID: 31043475BACKGROUNDLima FO, Furie KL, Silva GS, Lev MH, Camargo EC, Singhal AB, Harris GJ, Halpern EF, Koroshetz WJ, Smith WS, Nogueira RG. Prognosis of untreated strokes due to anterior circulation proximal intracranial arterial occlusions detected by use of computed tomography angiography. JAMA Neurol. 2014 Feb;71(2):151-7. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2013.5007.
PMID: 24323077BACKGROUNDThomalla G, Simonsen CZ, Boutitie F, Andersen G, Berthezene Y, Cheng B, Cheripelli B, Cho TH, Fazekas F, Fiehler J, Ford I, Galinovic I, Gellissen S, Golsari A, Gregori J, Gunther M, Guibernau J, Hausler KG, Hennerici M, Kemmling A, Marstrand J, Modrau B, Neeb L, Perez de la Ossa N, Puig J, Ringleb P, Roy P, Scheel E, Schonewille W, Serena J, Sunaert S, Villringer K, Wouters A, Thijs V, Ebinger M, Endres M, Fiebach JB, Lemmens R, Muir KW, Nighoghossian N, Pedraza S, Gerloff C; WAKE-UP Investigators. MRI-Guided Thrombolysis for Stroke with Unknown Time of Onset. N Engl J Med. 2018 Aug 16;379(7):611-622. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1804355. Epub 2018 May 16.
PMID: 29766770BACKGROUNDMa H, Campbell BCV, Parsons MW, Churilov L, Levi CR, Hsu C, Kleinig TJ, Wijeratne T, Curtze S, Dewey HM, Miteff F, Tsai CH, Lee JT, Phan TG, Mahant N, Sun MC, Krause M, Sturm J, Grimley R, Chen CH, Hu CJ, Wong AA, Field D, Sun Y, Barber PA, Sabet A, Jannes J, Jeng JS, Clissold B, Markus R, Lin CH, Lien LM, Bladin CF, Christensen S, Yassi N, Sharma G, Bivard A, Desmond PM, Yan B, Mitchell PJ, Thijs V, Carey L, Meretoja A, Davis SM, Donnan GA; EXTEND Investigators. Thrombolysis Guided by Perfusion Imaging up to 9 Hours after Onset of Stroke. N Engl J Med. 2019 May 9;380(19):1795-1803. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1813046.
PMID: 31067369BACKGROUNDThomalla G, Boutitie F, Ma H, Koga M, Ringleb P, Schwamm LH, Wu O, Bendszus M, Bladin CF, Campbell BCV, Cheng B, Churilov L, Ebinger M, Endres M, Fiebach JB, Fukuda-Doi M, Inoue M, Kleinig TJ, Latour LL, Lemmens R, Levi CR, Leys D, Miwa K, Molina CA, Muir KW, Nighoghossian N, Parsons MW, Pedraza S, Schellinger PD, Schwab S, Simonsen CZ, Song SS, Thijs V, Toni D, Hsu CY, Wahlgren N, Yamamoto H, Yassi N, Yoshimura S, Warach S, Hacke W, Toyoda K, Donnan GA, Davis SM, Gerloff C; Evaluation of unknown Onset Stroke thrombolysis trials (EOS) investigators. Intravenous alteplase for stroke with unknown time of onset guided by advanced imaging: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data. Lancet. 2020 Nov 14;396(10262):1574-1584. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32163-2. Epub 2020 Nov 8.
PMID: 33176180BACKGROUND
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Raul G Nogueira, MD
University of Pittsburgh
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
- Masking Details
- One investigator or designee will remain blinded at each site to perform primary outcome assessment at Day 30 and Day 90.
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Director, UPMC Stroke Institute
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 20, 2023
First Posted
August 9, 2023
Study Start
April 2, 2024
Primary Completion (Estimated)
July 1, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
November 1, 2027
Last Updated
February 23, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-02
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share