An observational study in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source and Endothelial Dysfunction, sponsored by University of Athens. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Greece. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-07-15.
Sponsored by University of Athens · Observational
The investigators will measure endothelial glycocalyx, aortic elastic properties, oxidative stress, and their association with left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) function in ESUS, cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and age- and sex-adjusted healthy individuals.
Investigators plan to include male and female patients, aged 18 to 75 years old admitted and hospitalized in the 2nd Neurology Department of Attikon University Hospital for Acute Ischemic Stroke, based on the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment TOAST classification. The TOAST classification consists of five categories: 1) large artery atherosclerosis (atherothrombotic), 2) cardioembolic, 3) small artery occlusion (lacunar), 4) stroke of undetermined etiology (ESUS).
In participants (patients and controls) the investigators plan to measure and compare: a) perfused boundary region (PBR) of the sublingual arterial microvessels (range 5-25 micrometers), a marker inversely related with glycocalyx thickness, b) pulse wave velocity (PWV), central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) and augmentation index (AIx), c) LV Global Longitudinal strain (GLS), d) LA volume and strain using speckle-tracking strain imaging, e) Malondialdehyde (MDA), as an oxidative stress marker.
40 studies on the registry are indexed under Embolic Stroke; 11 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 215 is below the median of 364 across 27 observational studies indexed under Embolic Stroke.
Browse Embolic Stroke studies →University of Athens is the lead sponsor of 139 studies on the registry; 19 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
The study population will consist of 172 consecutive patients with Ischemic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) that fulfill inclusion criteria and 43 healthy volunteers of similar age and sex (control group)
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
The investigators plan to include participants with Acute Ischemic Stroke, based on the TOAST classification : 1) large artery atherosclerosis (atherothrombotic), 2) cardioembolic, 3) small artery occlusion (lacunar), 4) stroke of undetermined etiology (ESUS). According to the TOAST classification, diagnoses are based on clinical presentation and on data collected by exams such as brain imaging (CT/MRI), cardiac imaging (echocardiography) and laboratory tests for the prothrombotic state. The diagnosis of Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source (ESUS) was established based on the criteria defined by the Cryptogenic Stroke/ESUS International Working Group.
Exclusion Criteria
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Acute ischemic stroke patients satisfying embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) diagnostic criteria.
Healthy volunteers (colleagues, friends, relatives and others).
Acute ischemic stroke patients satisfying lacunar stroke diagnostic criteria
Acute ischemic stroke patients satisfying cardioembolic stroke diagnostic criteria
Acute ischemic stroke patients satisfying atherosclerotic stroke diagnostic criteria
Comparison of endothelial glycocalyx thickness between patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls
Investigators will assess endothelial glycocalyx thickness by evaluating perfused boundary region (PBR, micrometers) of the sublingual arterial microvessels (range 5-25 micrometers) for patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Time frame: Baseline
Comparison of arterial stiffness between patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Investigators aim to evaluate arterial stiffness by pulse wave velocity (PWV,m/sec) using tonometry in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Time frame: Baseline
Assessment of left ventricular performance in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Investigators plan to assess left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS, %) in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Time frame: Baseline
Serum malondialdehyde levels in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Investigators plan to compare serum malondialdehyde levels in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) and controls.
Time frame: Baseline
Assessment of left atrial performance in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Investigators plan to compare left atrial strain (LA strain) in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS), cardioembolic, atherosclerotic, lacunar strokes and controls.
Time frame: Baseline
Plan to share: Undecided
Started Jan 2018 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Oct 2025, 93 months after the start.
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This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Jul 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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