Study Exploring The Impact of COVID-19 On Stroke (SETICOS)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Study Exploring The Impact of COVID-19 On Stroke (SETICOS)
IRAS ID
294938
Contact name
Richard Perry
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Joint Research Office (UCLH/UCL)
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is now known to mediate some of its damaging effects on the lungs and the rest of the body by causing abnormal blood clotting. Early evidence suggested that one manifestation of the infection may be that it induces “ischaemic” strokes, i.e. those caused by blockage of blood vessels in the brain, through abnormal formation of blood clots in those vessels. Whether that is true remains a controversial question, but larger studies have confirmed that COVID-19 has a profound influence over ischaemic stroke, the most consistent finding being an increase in stroke severity in the context of the infection. In addition COVID-19 may have an important adverse impact on “haemorrhagic” stroke, the type caused by bleeding into the brain after a blood vessel has burst.
Observational studies comparing the characteristics of stroke patients with and without COVID-19 are an essential step in understanding how COVID-19 exerts it influence over stroke. Our objective is to build on the success of SETICOS, an existing multicentre surveillance study through which we have documented basic characteristics of stroke patients with and without COVID-19 at onset, all collected during the same time period. We aim to expand the existing collection of 1470 patients (86 with COVID-19-associated stroke) to a target of 3000 patients (150 with COVID-19-assocated stroke).
Collection will be more systematic than was possible during the pandemic, including curation of imaging data. We will collect 18 month follow-up data using a questionnaire which incorporates data on general health and wellbeing (using PROMIS-10) as well as on recovery from stroke (using the Stroke Impact Scale). We will report comparisons between the two cohorts, with and without evidence of COVID-19 at stroke onset, which will advance our understanding of the impact that COVID-19 has on stroke.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/LO/0652
Date of REC Opinion
8 Nov 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion