THAWS is an investigator initiated Japanese multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial of MRI based thrombolysis in patients with acute wake-up ischemic stroke and those having acute ischemic stroke with unknown time of symptom onset. Intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase of 0.6mg/kg, different from 0.9mg/kg used in other countries, is available as effective and safe treatment of acute stroke within 4.5 hours of symptom onset in Japan. However, time of symptom onset is unknown in about 25% of acute stroke patients. These patients are currently excluded from intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase. The objective of the THAWS project is to provide effective treatment options for acute stroke patients with unknown time of symptom onset. The purpose of this study is to clarify efficacy and safety of MRI-based intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase of 0.6mg/kg for patients with acute wake-up ischemic stroke and those having acute ischemic stroke with unknown time of symptom onset. Eligible patients will be selected based on MRI findings indicative of acute ischemic stroke less than 4.5 hours of age.
The purpose of this study is to clarify efficacy and safety of MRI-based intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase for patients with acute wake-up ischemic stroke and those having acute ischemic stroke with unknown time of symptom onset.