Rapid Detection of Specific Biomarkers in Acute Ischaemic Stroke

A2001921

Professor Sikha Saha and the team are addressing the urgent need for a reliable blood test to diagnose ischaemic stroke, which affects over 17 million people globally each year and results in 5.9 million deaths. Currently, strokes are diagnosed through clinical assessments and brain scans to determine if they are caused by ischaemia (a blood clot cutting off the brain's blood supply) or a haemorrhage (a ruptured blood vessel causing brain bleeding). While brain CT scans can confirm bleeding, many patients with suspected ischaemic stroke show normal imaging in the initial hours, with up to 40% later diagnosed with other conditions like migraines or seizures. This highlights the need for a biomarker, similar to those used for heart attacks, to diagnose ischaemic stroke.In this project, blood samples will be collected from patients presenting acutely to A&E. The team aims to identify biomarkers released by the brain into the blood within hours of symptom onset, enabling rapid and accurate stroke diagnosis. This blood test, combined with current A&E assessments, could significantly improve stroke patient outcomes by ensuring timely and appropriate treatments, such as clot-busting medication or mechanical clot removal. Additionally, it could optimise resource use by shortening hospital stays and reducing the NHS carbon footprint by avoiding unnecessary ambulance journeys. This research could pave the way for more efficient and effective stroke care. 

Lead Researcher	Prof Sikha Saha
Co-Researchers	Dr Kirti Kain Dr Ahamad Hassan Linetty Makawa
Host Organisation/CSU	Neurosciences Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust University of Leeds
Grant Amount	£160,109.24
Start Date	01/09/2024
Estimated Duration	17 months
Impact Areas	Other
Tags/key notes	Early Career Researcher Stroke