Stroke (CVA) or TIANCT07795021
Stroke Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic
An observational study of Stroke (CVA) or TIA, run by Dr. Yaroslav Winter at 4 sites in 4 countries.
Trial summary
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to substantial changes in the allocation of healthcare resources and affected the behavior of patients experiencing stroke symptoms. Previous studies have mainly focused on the so-called "first wave" of the pandemic during the first half of 2020. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any age
- Conditions the study is for
- Stroke (CVA) or TIA
- What is being tested?
- statistical analysis
- How many people
- 40,000 participants
- Where
- 4 sitesin 4 countries
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2026to 30 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Observational
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: All patients admitted for stroke or TIA to the participating stroke units between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2021.
Who may be able to join
- stroke transient ischemic attack
Who cannot join
- traumatic cause of stroke
Trial locations and contacts
4 sites in 4 countries. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
4 sites in 4 countries
Czechia1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Departement of Neurology 1st Medical Faculty and General Teaching Hospital
Prague
Pavel Dušek, MD, +420 224 965 501, pavel.dusek@vfn.cz
Germany1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University Hospital Mainz
Mainz
Sergiu Groppa, Professor, +496131170, Sergiu.Groppa@uks.eu
Italy1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
UOC Neurologia, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII
Bergamo
Maria Sessa, Professor, +39035267111, msessa@asst-pg23.it
Spain1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Barcelona, Comprehensive Stroke Center, Hospital Clinic
Barcelona
Ángel Chamorro, Professor, +34 932 27 54 00, achamorro@clinic.cat
About this study
Official title: Stroke and TIA Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Regional Patterns and Epidemiological Determinants
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to substantial changes in the allocation of healthcare resources and affected the behavior of patients experiencing stroke symptoms. Previous studies have mainly focused on the so-called "first wave" of the pandemic during the first half of 2020. During this period, the number of hospital admissions of patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) and minor strokes decreased significantly in many hospitals. This reduction was attributed not only to the reallocation of healthcare resources toward the care of patients with COVID-19, but also to patients' concerns about becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 during a hospital stay. Since then, the situation has changed, as hospitals have become better prepared to treat patients with COVID-19 and the public has become better informed about the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is therefore possible that the pattern of acute stroke care during the subsequent wave of COVID-19, which began in autumn 2020, differed from that observed during the first wave.
Aim: The aim of this project is to analyze changes in patterns of acute stroke care across different regions of Europe during the first and subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify epidemiological determinants associated with changes in stroke care.
Read more
Methods: We will collect and analyze data on hospital admissions of patients with acute ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) from approximately 40 participating stroke units across Europe for the period from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021.
The following parameters will be collected:
Number of hospital admissions per month and mean length of hospital stay (LOS) per month from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021, for the following diagnoses:
ischemic stroke hemorrhagic stroke transient ischemic attack Monthly numbers of thrombolysis and thrombectomy procedures during the same period.
Epidemiological parameters: population density, population age, geography of the region, urban/rural region properties, traffic connection to the first European hot spot of Covid-19, number of nursing homes Care characteritics: hospital size, stroke unit capacity.
Statistical analysis: Changes in the number of stroke admissions and length of hospital stay, as well as rates of thrombolysis and thrombectomy, will be analyzed in relation to regional COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates and other epidemiological parameters, including epidemiological connectivity to the first European COVID-19 hotspot.
Expected outcomes: We aim to identify regional patterns of change in acute stroke care during different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and to determine epidemiological factors associated with these changes.
Read the detailed description
The study is based on hospital statistics of admissions, length of hospital stay and statistics of thrombolysis and thrombectomy procedures. No individual patients' data will be collected.
- Conditions
- Stroke (CVA) or TIA
- Being tested
- statistical analysis
- Medical subject headings
- Stroke
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
statistical analysisOther
we will colect hospital statistics. No other interventions will take place
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
hospital admissions
hospital admissions for stroke ot TIA
Measured: 2,5 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted31 Aug 2026
- Study start1 Jul 2026
- Primary completion30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Oct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Stroke (CVA) or TIAStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Retrospective
- Enrolment
- 40,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Dr. Yaroslav Winter
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Dr. Yaroslav Winter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07795021
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STROCOV19
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Aug 2026
- Last updated
- 31 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: IPD will not be collected in this study
Publications
Hbid Y, Stanley K, Wolfe CDA, Bhalla A, James M, Douiri A; SSNAP Collaboration. Stroke care in the United Kingdom before, during, and after the COVID-19 lockdowns: A retrospective nationwide cohort study. PLoS One. 2025 Sep 2;20(9):e0330903. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330903. eCollection 2025.
PubMed 40892745Dengler J, Abdullah B, Kukolja J, Kuhlen R, Hohenstein S, Dengler NF, Bollmann A, Palm F. Frailty in Stroke Care in Germany Between 2016 and 2022-A Retrospective, Hospital-Based Nationwide Cohort Study. NeuroSci. 2025 Sep 8;6(3):88. doi: 10.3390/neurosci6030088.
PubMed 40981263Abe K, Shibata S, Miyawaki A, Kawachi I. Changes in inpatient and outpatient stroke admissions during COVID-19: a difference-in-differences analysis based on claims data from 242 acute care hospitals in Japan. BMJ Public Health. 2025 Sep 29;3(2):e001958. doi: 10.1136/bmjph-2024-001958. eCollection 2025.
PubMed 41035766Reddi P, Mehta A, Hardigan T, Shafizadeh M, Kellner CP, Dangayach NS, Fifi JT, Mocco J, Majidi S. Acute Ischemic Stroke and Endovascular Thrombectomy During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Analysis. Neurosurg Pract. 2025 May 23;6(2):e00144. doi: 10.1227/neuprac.0000000000000144. eCollection 2025 Jun.
PubMed 41163989