Drug Research Related to Stroke: Lots of it Going On

In June I focused on news about stem cell research and harvesting stem cells from bone marrow. With the death of President Reagan the subject of stem cell research became topical once again when Nancy Reagan came out strongly in support of stem cell research in hopes of finding a remedy for Alzheimer’s disease, which is what ultimately killed President Reagan.

My focus this month is on new drug research, some of which is very exciting for stroke survivors. See item 4 about a drug that could improve motor function after stroke. Other news is contradictory and confusing – all of it related to aspirin therapy. And then some of the news is simply old hat, i.e. our diet can put us at risk for stroke.

1. Study: Patients should not rely only on aspirin to prevent strokes

This article states that use of aspirin therapy alone may not reduce the risk of stroke. It says that “aspirin may not prevent a stroke, and patients should not rely on aspirin therapy alone to reduce the risk of stroke.” This was the message that researchers want to publicize, following a study in which almost half of patients were found to be "aspirin resistant." Researchers from Northwestern Memorial Hospital studied patients who were on aspirin therapy.

URL: http://www.heartcenteronline.com/myheartdr/home/research-detail.cfm?reutersid=4557

2. Study Questions Combo Therapy for Stroke Patients

This study states that using aspirin with a clot-preventing drug for people at high risk of artery problems after a stroke does slightly more harm than good. There is a small benefit in terms of reducing the risk of another stroke, myocardial infarction [heart attack] or death, but there is a significant increase in bleeding complications," said Dr. Hans-Christopher Diener, a professor of neurology at the University of Essen, Germany.

URL: http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/stro/520248.html

3. Aspirin Resistance Test Now Available Nationwide

At the same time, there is a new test that can indicate whether a patient is resistant to aspirin therapy. Creative Clinical Concepts, Inc., has announced that its aspirin resistance test is now available nationwide. The company says that its new test, called Aspirin Works®, is “ideally suited for patients on long-term aspirin therapy and can be ordered by any doctor's office or hospital laboratory in the U.S.”

URL: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040726/lam064_1.html

4. Boston Life Sciences Files Investigational New Drug Application ...

But by far the best news is about a new drug that could enhance motor function recovery after stroke. It’s now being studied. Boston Life Sciences, Inc. has announced that the Company has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the FDA for the use of Axosine(TM) to enhance motor function recovery after stroke. The IND includes a proposed human Phase I study protocol to test the safety of Axosine administered to stroke patients for 28 days by continuous infusion into one of the fluid compartments of the brain (intracerebral ventricle; ICV). Pre-clinical efficacy and safety in animal testing has shown that Axosine, when administered in this manner, is safe, well tolerated, and highly effective in promoting motor function recovery after experimentally-induced strokes in rats. The results of these efficacy studies, as well as studies demonstrating compensatory axon growth in experimental spinal cord injury, have been published in numerous prestigious scientific journals during the last few years.

URL: http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040726005475&newsLang=en

5. Western diet could increase stroke risk

Finally, there is a report that it’s what we eat that puts us at risk for stroke. Is this even news? According to one new study, the diet we eat in the West could increase stroke risk A long-running study compares a healthy diet and a 'Western' diet with respect to stroke risk. The Nurses' Health Study has been looking into the risk factors that affect health since 1984 and a new report now finds a link between diet and stroke. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found two dietary patterns in the group of nearly 72,000 nurses, which they terms 'prudent' and 'Western'. The prudent diet comprises higher intakes of fruit, vegetables, fish, legumes and whole grains.

The Western diet is focused more on red and processed meat, refined grains, sweets and desserts. Those with the highest Western diet score had a 58 per cent higher stroke risk than those with the lowest score. Those with the highest prudent diet score had a 22 per cent lower risk of stroke than those with the lowest score (but the researchers find this result not to be statistically significant). Women on the Western diet with high blood pressure were also three times more likely to have a stroke than those who ate the Western diet but did not have high blood pressure. These results are quite likely to apply to men. A shift towards the prudent diet and away from the Western diet could, therefore, cut the risk of having a stroke.

URL: http://www.healthandage.com/Home/gm=1!gid1=5996

The Stroke Network, Inc.

P.O. Box 492 Abingdon, Maryland 21009