CASTRO1 - Study on CRP Apheresis After Ischemic Stroke
CASTRO1 - Study on CRP Apheresis After Ischemic Stroke
CASTRO1 is a study to investigate the reduction of C-reactive protein (CRP) by therapeutic
 apheresis (CRP-apheresis) in patients after primary treatment of ischemic stroke.

 The term therapeutic apheresis commonly refers to medical procedures, where pathogenic
 constituents are being removed from the circulating blood. Elimination is performed by
 adsorbers outside the body in an extracorporeal circulation. For removal of the pathogenic
 substances the plasma is separated from the blood (circulation) to pass the adsorber. The
 purified plasma is merged with the solid blood components thereafter and returned to the
 patient.

 The adsorber "PentraSorb® CRP" used for CRP apheresis is CE-certified. It is designated to
 the selective depletion of C-reactive protein from human blood.
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CRP apheresis in patients
 following ischemic stroke. CRP apheresis is to be conducted with the aim of reducing cerebral
 damage following the guideline-appropriate primary therapy of ischemic stroke.

 A possible protective effect of CRP apheresis will be assessed by clinical scores, laboratory
 determination of immunologic parameters and determination of the size of the infarct area by
 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

 The study will be randomized, controlled and monocentric.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Informed consent signed by patient

 -  Ischaemic stroke with determination of infarct size by imaging (MRI)

 -  NIHSS 1-24

 -  CRP increase ≥ 5 mg/l within 24 hours after stroke and/or CRP value > 20 mg/l

 -  Legal capacity

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Withdrawal of consent

 -  Participation in other interventional studies

 -  Severe dysphagia (danger of aspiration pneumonia)

 -  Clinical or laboratory evidence of a systemic infection

 -  Contraindications against apheresis therapy

 -  Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) before index event ≥ 3

 -  Intracranial hemorrhage

 -  Epileptic seizure in the context of the acute event

 -  Pregnancy, lactation