Tenecteplase versus standard of care for minor ischaemic stroke with proven occlusion (TEMPO-2): a randomised, open label, phase 3 superiority trial.

Background: Individuals with minor ischaemic stroke and intracranial occlusion are at increased risk of poor outcomes. Intravenous thrombolysis with tenecteplase might improve outcomes in this population. We aimed to test the superiority of intravenous tenecteplase over non-thrombolytic standard of care in patients with minor ischaemic stroke and intracranial occlusion or focal perfusion abnormality.

Frailty and stroke thrombectomy outcomes-an observational cohort study.

Introduction: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) can improve outcomes following ischaemic stroke. Patient selection for MT is predominantly based on physiological and imaging parameters. We assessed whether people living with pre-stroke frailty had differing outcomes following MT.

The cost of providing mechanical thrombectomy in the UK NHS: a micro-costing study.

Introduction: The clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for the treatment of large vessel occlusion stroke is well established, but uncertainty remains around the true cost of delivering this treatment within the NHS. The aim of this study was to establish the cost of providing MT within the hyperacute phase of care and to explore differences in resources used and costs across different neuroscience centres in the UK.

Method: This was a multicentre retrospective study using micro-costing methods to enable a precise assessment of the costs of MT from an NHS perspective.

Country-Wide Analysis of Systemic Factors Associated With Acute Ischemic Stroke Door to Needle Time.

Pre-hospital, in-hospital, and patient factors are associated with variation in door to needle (DTN) time in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Publications are usually from large single centers or multicenter registries with less reporting on national results. All AIS patients treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (iv-tPA) over 4 years (2013-2016) in Northern Ireland were recorded prospectively, including patient demographics, pre-hospital care, thrombolysis rate, and DTN time.

Outcomes after Thrombectomy in Belfast: Mothership and Drip-and-Ship in the Real World.

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy has revolutionised the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion. It is well recognised that patients are more likely to benefit when reperfusion happens quickly, however, there is uncertainty as to how best to deliver this service.

Objectives: To compare outcomes of patients in Northern -Ireland who underwent thrombectomy via direct admission to the single endovascular centre (mothership [MS]) with those transferred from primary stroke centres (drip-and-ship [DS]).

ESCAPE to Reality, Post-Trial Outcomes in an ESCAPE Centre: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

Introduction: The Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast provides the regional neuroendovascular service for Northern Ireland and was an enrolling centre for the ESCAPE endovascular stroke trial. Our aim was to assess outcomes for patients presenting with acute stroke following discontinuation of trial enrolment at our centre.

Methods: We collected data on all patients presenting with acute stoke between Nov-1st-2014 and Oct-31st-2015 who received endovascular treatment or received IV thrombolysis (IV-tPA) alone.

Acute stroke in a patient with advanced uraemia: should thrombolysis be given?

A 65-year-old gentleman with stage 5 chronic kidney disease developed an acute posterior circulation stroke, which was treated with intravenous thrombolytic therapy. This was complicated by a retroperitoneal haemorrhage. The patient made an excellent neurological recovery and was discharged to home, independently mobile, having been established on haemodialysis.

The stroke offspring study: is parental stroke history of value in targeted risk factor screening?

Aim: This study aimed to compare the prevalence of stroke risk factors among people with a parental history of stroke to those in a control group of individuals, of similar age, gender and social class, with no parental stroke history.

Background: Parental stroke increases an individual's risk of stroke, but little is known of the potential value of using this information in targeted screening for primary prevention in general practice.

Method: We sent questionnaires to 300 randomly selected individuals aged 40-65 years, in each of 11 different general practices in Northern Ireland.

Long-term remission rates after pituitary surgery for Cushing's disease: the need for long-term surveillance.

Objective: There have been a few reports on long-term remission rates after apparent early remission following pituitary surgery in the management of Cushing's disease. An undetectable postoperative serum cortisol has been regarded as the result most likely to predict long-term remission. Our objective was to assess the relapse rates in patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery in order to determine whether undetectable cortisol following surgery was predictive of long-term remission and whether it was possible to have long-term remission when early morning cortisol was measurable but not grossly elevated.

The adjunctive role of mental practice in the rehabilitation of the upper limb after hemiplegic stroke: a pilot study.

Objective: To assess the feasibility and practicalities of using the technique of mental practice as an adjunct in the rehabilitation of the upper limb following stroke.

Design: A series of single-case studies.

Setting: A stroke rehabilitation unit in Belfast.

Demonstration of glycated insulin in human diabetic plasma and decreased biological activity assessed by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp technique in humans.

The presence and biological significance of circulating glycated insulin has been evaluated by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), radioimmunoassay (RIA), receptor binding, and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp techniques. ESI-MS analysis of an HPLC-purified plasma pool from four male type 2 diabetic subjects (HbA(1c) 8.1 +/- 0.