Introduction: Intracerebral hemorrhage is the deadliest form of stroke. Hematoma expansion, growth of the hematoma between the baseline computed tomography scan and a follow-up computed tomography scan at 24 ± 6 h, predicts long-term disability or death. Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) has reduced hematoma expansion in previous clinical trials with a variable effect on clinical outcomes, with the greatest impact on hematoma expansion and potential benefit when administered within 2 h of symptom onset.
Methods: Factor VIIa for Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment at Earliest Possible Time (FASTEST, NCT03496883) is a randomized controlled trial that will enroll 860 patients at ∼100 emergency departments and mobile stroke units in five countries. Patients are eligible for enrollment if they have acute intracerebral hemorrhage within 2 h of symptom onset confirmed by computed tomography, a hematoma volume of 2 to 60 mL, no or small volumes of intraventricular hemorrhage, do not take anticoagulant medications or concurrent heparin/heparinoids (antiplatelet medications are permissible), and are not deeply comatose. Enrolled patients will receive rFVIIa 80 µg/kg or placebo intravenously over 2 min. The primary outcome measure is the distribution of the ordinal modified Rankin Scale at 180 days. FASTEST is monitored by a Data Safety Monitoring Board. Safety endpoints include thrombotic events (e.g. myocardial infarction). Human subjects research is monitored by an external Institutional Review Board in participating countries.
Discussion: In the US, FASTEST will be first NIH StrokeNet Trial with an Exception from Informed Consent which allows enrollment of non-communicative patients without an immediately identifiable proxy.
Keywords: Cerebral hemorrhage; clinical trial; factor VII; hemorrhagic stroke; hemostasis; randomized controlled trial.