7:42 a.m. Abstract 2 Warfarin-aspirin stroke prevention trial's final results coming. Investigators will report final results of the Wafrarin-Aspirin Symptomatic Intracranial Disease (WASID) Trial, which compared warfarin to aspirin for preventing stroke and vascular death in patients with symptomatic narrowing of a major brain artery. A secondary goal was identifying high-risk patients for a later trial comparing stenting and medical therapy. Patients with verified artery stenosis causing transient ischemic attack or minor stroke were randomized to warfarin or aspirin. The trial began in 1998 and was stopped by the sponsoring National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke last July on recommendation of its performance and safety monitoring committee. Primary and secondary analysis of 569 patients will be presented.

2:50 p.m. Abstract LBP6 What's the best bat dose? German researchers report they may have determined the optimal dose at which a clot-buster dervived from vampire bat saliva may work. The DIAS (Desmoteplase In Acute Ischemic Stroke) trial tested the potent new clotbuster Desmodus rotundus salivary plasminogen activator (DSPA), or desmoteplase. It was originally derived from vampire bat saliva. In the double blind, placebo controlled trial, 104 patients were randomized to DSPA or placebo, three to nine hours after stroke onset. The initial phase of the study involving 47 patients was terminated early because of excess intracranial hemorrhages at higher doses. The remaining 57 patients randomly got placebo or varied reduced doses of DSPA. After 90 days, the researchers found that the optimal clinical outcome as reflected in improved neurological function
'"/>

Contact: Carole Bullock
carole.bullock@heart.org
214-706-1279
American Heart Association
5-Feb-2004