Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Aspirin Trial (UIAAT) v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A randomised controlled trial of aspirin versus no treatment to reduce aneurysm wall inflammation in unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
IRAS ID
246449
Contact name
Diederik Bulters
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
Eudract number
2018-002377-21
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 2 days
Research summary
Brain aneurysms are balloon-like outpouchings of a blood vessel resulting from a weakness in the vessel wall. They generally cause no symptoms, but can burst and cause a bleed in the brain, resulting in death or disability. Aneurysms occur in 1 in 30 people, but rarely burst, with 1 in 10,000 people having a brain bleed.
Ideally, aneurysms would be treated before they burst to prevent bleeding in the brain. The two currently available ways of treating aneurysms involve repairing them with an operation or invasive procedure and are both risky and invasive. No medications have been shown to reduce the risk of aneurysms bursting.
Aspirin is one of the most common medications, used worldwide to treat pain, fever and inflammation, and for the prevention of strokes and heart attacks. Its anti-inflammatory properties may be beneficial for patients with aneurysms. We know that the walls of burst aneurysms and aneurysms that are about to burst, are more inflamed than those that do not burst. Therefore, a drug that reduces inflammation may reduce the risk of an aneurysm bursting.
We have designed this study to test whether there is a measurable reduction in inflammation in walls of brain aneurysms.
In this study, participants known to have an aneurysm that is not planned for treatment and has not yet burst, take aspirin daily for three months, and have an MRI scan before and after to look for a reduction in inflammation.
If this study is successful it would be the first step towards developing the first medication to help treat patients with aneurysms, representing a huge advance for the 3% of adults with this condition.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SC/0544
Date of REC Opinion
21 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion