Trial results for the 'Stroke Ready - Optimizing Acute Stroke Care' intervention were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-05-01. The intervention led to a significant increase in thrombolysis utilization among ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients in Flint, Michigan, rising from 4% before the intervention to 14% after.
Background
Acute stroke is a medical emergency requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment to minimize brain damage and improve patient outcomes. Thrombolysis, a treatment that dissolves blood clots, is time-sensitive and highly effective when administered within a narrow therapeutic window. Despite its benefits, rates of thrombolysis utilization can be suboptimal due to various factors, including delayed patient arrival at emergency departments and hospital-level inefficiencies. Interventions targeting both community awareness and hospital preparedness are crucial for optimizing acute stroke care.
Trial design
This completed study (NCT03645590), titled "Stroke Ready - Optimizing Acute Stroke Care," enrolled 5970 participants. The trial focused on patients with Stroke, Acute and Stroke, aiming to increase acute stroke treatment rates in Flint, Michigan. The intervention employed a two-pronged approach involving both hospital and community-level strategies. The study also sought to understand the relative importance of hospital optimization and community interventions for future stroke preparedness efforts.
Key results
The intervention demonstrated improvements in key indicators of acute stroke care:
- Utilization of Thrombolysis Among Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Patients increased from 4 Percent of stroke and TIA patients before the intervention to 14 Percent of stroke and TIA patients after the intervention.
- The Percent of Stroke and TIA Patients Who Arrive to the Emergency Department by Ambulance increased from 49 Percent of stroke and TIA patients before the intervention to 58 Percent of stroke and TIA patients after the intervention.
Demographic data for patients with stroke or TIA from retrospective data pulls for Genesee County hospitals showed:
- The mean age of patients pre-intervention (7/2010-9/2017) was 68.0 years (Standard Deviation: 14.2), and post-intervention (10/2017-3/2020) was 67.4 years (Standard Deviation: 14.02).
- The number of male patients was 1289 patients pre-intervention and 559 patients post-intervention. The number of female patients was 1016 patients pre-intervention and 463 patients post-intervention.
- The number of patients with customized race/ethnicity data was 1233 patients pre-intervention and 514 patients post-intervention.
What this means
The 'Stroke Ready' intervention successfully improved critical aspects of acute stroke care in Flint, Michigan. The substantial increase in thrombolysis utilization from 4% to 14% suggests that targeted community and hospital interventions can effectively overcome barriers to timely treatment. Furthermore, the rise in ambulance arrivals from 49% to 58% indicates improved public awareness and appropriate emergency response for stroke symptoms. These findings highlight the potential for comprehensive, localized programs to enhance access to life-saving stroke treatments and could inform similar initiatives in other communities facing challenges in acute stroke care delivery.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for study NCT03645590, titled "Stroke Ready - Optimizing Acute Stroke Care," were posted on 2026-05-01 on clinicaltrials.gov.