Intensive Statin Effect on Brain Artery Plaques After Ischemic Stroke
Tests intensive statin treatment in adults with ischemic stroke and brain artery plaques.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: The Effect of InTensive Statin in Ischemic Stroke With inTracranial Atherosclerotic Plaques
Key facts
- Where
- Shenyang, ChinaSee the site
- Phase
- Phase 4
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults aged 18 to 80 who had a recent ischemic stroke and have a fatty plaque in a brain artery seen on a special MRI scan.
- Age
- 18 to 80 years
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- Acute ischemic stroke that began within 1 week, confirmed by head CT or MRI. NIHSS score of 12 or less. Before the stroke, mRS of 1 or less. Plaque burden of 40% or more on HRMRI in the middle cerebral artery M1 segment or the basilar artery on the side of the stroke. Narrowing of the carotid artery, vertebral artery and intracranial internal carotid artery on that side below 50%.
- Earlier treatment
- People who took statins within 1 month before the stroke cannot join.
- Biomarker or test result
- Plaque burden of 40% or more found by high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI).
Main reasons for not taking part
- Bleeding in the brain seen on head CT
- Stroke caused by a clot from the heart (atrial fibrillation, valve disease, aortic arch atherosclerosis)
- Severe liver or kidney problems
- Pregnant women
- Blood sugar out of control, or blood pressure still above 140/90 mmHg after medication
Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 80 years old?
Source: NCT03753555, who can take part
Where in China
- General Hospital of ShenYang Military RegionShenyang, ChinaContact: Cheng Xia, Ph.DTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorTrial details
- Who runs it
- General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region
- Trial code
- NCT03753555
- Record updated
- 27 April 2026
- Original description
Intracranial atherosclerotic disease is the most common cause of ischemic stroke that is directly attributed to the progression or rupture of intracranial high-risk plaque in Asia. Many studies mainly from Euro-American population with a focus on extracranial carotid plaque have fully demonstrated the advantages of intensive statin therapy on stabilizing or reversing plaque burden, reversing plaque composition presenting that lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) is gradually replaced by fibrous tissue, and even reversing pattern of arterial remodeling to reduce the occurrence of cerebrovascular events. Yet, direct evidence of the effect of intensive statin therapy on intracranial atherosclerotic plaques is lacking and the effect of statin intensity and duration on intracranial plaque burden and composition is still unclear. High resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) is a new and non-invasive technique that enable to assess the morphologic characteristics of vascular wall and plaque composition of intracranial artery. Based on above discussion, the investigators conduct this study to further determine the effect of intensive statin in ischemic stroke with intracranial atherosclerotic plaques.Read full original descriptionShow less
The Effect of InTensive Statin in Ischemic Stroke With inTracranial Atherosclerotic Plaques: a Prospective, Random, Single-center Study Based on High Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Intracranial atherosclerotic disease is the most common cause of ischemic stroke that is directly attributed to the progression or rupture of intracranial high-risk plaque in Asia. Many studies mainly from Euro-American population with a focus on extracranial carotid plaque have fully demonstrated the advantages of intensive statin therapy on stabilizing or reversing plaque burden, reversing plaque composition presenting that lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) is gradually replaced by fibrous tissue, and even reversing pattern of arterial remodeling to reduce the occurrence of cerebrovascular events. Yet, direct evidence of the effect of intensive statin therapy on intracranial atherosclerotic plaques is lacking and the effect of statin intensity and duration on intracranial plaque burden and composition is still unclear. High resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) is a new and non-invasive technique that enable to assess the morphologic characteristics of vascular wall and plaque composition of intracranial artery. Based on above discussion, the investigators conduct this study to further determine the effect of intensive statin in ischemic stroke with intracranial atherosclerotic plaques.
Inclusion: Patient age between 18-80 years; Time of onset: within 1 week; NIHSS score ≤12; Acute ischemic stroke confirmed by head CT or MRI; Premorbid mRS ≤1; The degree of stenosis of carotid artery, vertebral artery and intracranial portion of internal carotid artery on the lesion side <50%; The culprit plaque or possible culprit plaque with plaque burden of 40% or more found by HRMRI in the proximal part of the middle cerebral artery M1 segment or basilar artery of ipsilateral lesion; Signed informed consent.
Exclusion: Receiving statins within 1 month before onset; Intracranial hemorrhage found by head CT; Stroke attributable to cardioembolic origin (atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, aortic arch atherosclerosis); Obstinate hypertension with more than 140/90 mmHg after medication; Not willing and able to comply with scheduled visits, lifestyle guidelines, treatment plan, laboratory tests, and other study procedures; Severe hepatic or renal dysfunction; Pregnant females; Abnormal elevation of creatine phosphokinase; Expected stent angioplasty; Blood sugar is out of control; Unsuitable for this clinical studies assessed by researcher.