EASE Version 1

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Exploring Approaches to aid Stroke Recovery through Metabolomic Exploration 'EASE'

  • IRAS ID

    349709

  • Contact name

    Helen Tench

  • Contact email

    helen.tench@wales.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Hywel Dda University Health Board

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 5 months, 30 days

  • Research summary

    Background: After a stroke, many people and their families wonder about what’s next. Will they get better? Will they be able to walk, talk, or manage daily tasks again? Whilst doctors can offer some predictions based on what they’ve seen before and from various tests, but there’s still a lot of uncertainty. In this study, we’re focusing on small molecules in the blood, called metabolites that may help reveal how serious a stroke is and how well someone might recover. Metabolites are tiny chemicals produced by our cells that circulate through our blood and provide clues about our health. By studying these metabolites in blood samples from stroke survivors soon after their stroke and over the following six months, we hope to learn more about what happens in the body during recovery. Some people sadly experience a second stroke. We hope this study will help us identify who might be at a higher risk of this so we can look for ways to reduce that risk. Our goal is to use the information we collect to create a computer model that doctors could use to give patients and families more reliable advice about what to expect during recovery. This model may also help find people at higher risk of a second stroke so doctors can act early to prevent it. Metabolites have been helpful in diagnosing many health conditions but using them to predict stroke recovery and the chance of another stroke happening, is still very new. If our study succeeds, it could give patients and families a clearer idea of what the future may hold. This knowledge could help everyone set realistic goals, stay motivated, and make important choices about lifestyle and treatment to support recovery and reduce the chance of a second stroke.

  • REC name

    Wales REC 7

  • REC reference

    25/WA/0025

  • Date of REC Opinion

    21 Feb 2025

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion