Ischemic Stroke and Savings in Time to Achieve Functional Recovery: Experience from NeuroAiD

Despite recent progress with revascularisation interventions after acute ischemic stroke, many patients remain disabled after stroke. Using data from a multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a neuro-repair treatment (NeuroAiD/MLC601) with a long-term follow-up, we analysed the savings in time to functional recovery, measured by a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0 or 1, in patients receiving a 3-month oral course of MLC601. Analysis of time to recovery was assessed by a log-rank test and hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for prognosis factors. A total of 548 patients with baseline NIHSS scores 8–14, mRS scores ≥ 2 at day 10 post-stroke, and at least one mRS assessment on or after month 1 were included in the analysis (placebo = 261; MLC601 = 287). Time to functional recovery was significantly shortened for patients receiving MLC601 versus patients receiving placebo (log-rank test: p = 0.039). This result was confirmed by Cox regression adjusting for the main baseline prognostic factors (HR: 1.30 [0.99, 1.70]; p = 0.059) and was more pronounced in patients with additional poor prognosis factors. The Kaplan–Meier plot showed that approximately 40% cumulative incidence of functional recovery was achieved within 6 months after stroke onset in the MLC601 group versus 24 months in the placebo group. The main findings are that MLC601 reduced the time to achieve functional recovery, and a 40% functional recovery rate was achieved 18 months earlier compared to placebo.